Pallid Swift vs Brown-backed Needletail

Apus pallidus مقارنةً بـ Hirundapus giganteus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Pallid Swift Brown-backed Needletail
الاسم العلمي Apus pallidus Hirundapus giganteus
الرتبة Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
الفصيلة Apodidae Apodidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 33,4 cm (13.1 in) 40,6 cm (16.0 in)
الوزن 42,25 g (1.49 oz) 145,0 g (5.11 oz)
النظام الغذائي Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. Aerial insectivore feeding on tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders in rapid powerful aerial pursuit.
عدد البيض في الوضع 1-4 3-5
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

بلا

Pallid Swift only

Brown-backed Needletail only

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Song & Call Comparison

Pallid Swift

الغناء

Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.

Brown-backed Needletail

الغناء

Rough, buzzy chatter with intermittent higher squeaks; coarse twittering delivered continuously throughout aerial foraging.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Pallid Swift

Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.

Brown-backed Needletail

Found from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to Borneo and the Philippines. Resident in lowland and hill forest, soaring over ridges.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Pallid Swift

Least Concern

Brown-backed Needletail

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How to Tell Them Apart

Pallid Swift

الريش

Medium-large; pale brownish-grey overall, distinctly paler than Common Swift; larger pale throat patch; wing coverts show pale scaly edges; Mediterranean and Middle Eastern species; pale sandy-brown tone separates it from …

Brown-backed Needletail

الريش

Very large; dark brown upperparts with bronze gloss; no pale back saddle unlike congeners; white throat patch; white undertail coverts; short spiny tail; largest Hirundapus; brown rather than black overall …

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About These Birds

Pallid Swift

A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) similar to Common Swift but paler, sandy-brown overall with a larger white throat patch. Found across southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Aerial insectivore. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Brown-backed Needletail

A very large needletail swift (22-25 cm), the largest swift in Asia. Dark brown plumage with a paler brown back. Spine-tipped tail. Found in montane forests from India to Southeast Asia. Aerial insectivore with powerful flight. Often seen soaring over mountain ridges.

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