African Swift vs White-chinned Swift

Apus barbatus مقارنةً بـ Cypseloides cryptus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة African Swift White-chinned Swift
الاسم العلمي Apus barbatus Cypseloides cryptus
الرتبة Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
الفصيلة Apodidae Apodidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 34,2 cm (13.5 in) 27,4 cm (10.8 in)
الوزن 42,666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) 35,95 g (1.27 oz)
النظام الغذائي Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … Aerial-only diet of small flying insects, winged termites, and drifting spiders caught during continuous flight.
عدد البيض في الوضع 1-2 1
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

بلا

African Swift only

بلا

White-chinned Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

African Swift

الغناء

Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.

White-chinned Swift

الغناء

Soft, buzzy twittering; weak 'tsit-tsit' in flight; calls over Neotropical waterfalls; thin, high-pitched contact notes; soft compared to most swifts; rarely vocal

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Geographic Range & Migration

African Swift

Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. One of Africa's most common swift species.

White-chinned Swift

Found from southern Mexico south through Central America and northwestern South America to Bolivia. Nomadic; joins large mixed swift flocks.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

African Swift

Least Concern

White-chinned Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

African Swift

الريش

Dark sooty-brown throughout; pale throat patch whitish-grey; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to Common Swift but slightly larger and marginally paler below; widespread Sub-Saharan African species.

White-chinned Swift

الريش

Uniformly sooty-black plumage with narrow white chin spot; no white rump or other pale markings; large for a Cypseloides; cryptic appearance made identification historically difficult; white chin the sole distinguishing …

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About These Birds

African Swift

A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark sooty-brown plumage, darker than Pallid Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over varied habitats from forests to savannas. Breeds on cliffs and buildings. Resident or partial migrant within Africa.

White-chinned Swift

A medium-sized swift (14-15 cm) of humid lowland and foothill forests from southern Mexico to Peru. Dark sooty-brown plumage with a small white chin patch. Aerial insectivore, feeding over forest canopy and ravines. Nests behind waterfalls. Uncommon and poorly studied.

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