Himalayan Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift
Aerodramus brevirostris compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Himalayan Swiftlet | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus brevirostris | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.6 cm (9.7 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 12.65 g (0.45 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Small aerial insectivore feeding on minute flying insects and spiders; forages over forest canopy and … | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Himalayan Swiftlet
Thin twittering calls; 'chip-chip' over Himalayan valleys; audible echolocation clicks in caves; moderate-pitched; colonial roosts produce chattering; calls in swift flocks at dusk
Great Dusky Swift
Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups
Geographic Range & Migration
Himalayan Swiftlet
Breeds in the Himalayas from India to southern China and Indochina. Partially migratory, wintering south to peninsular India and Southeast Asia.
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
Conservation Status
Himalayan Swiftlet
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Himalayan Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown upperparts with faint gloss; pale grey rump band; underparts whitish-grey; forked tail; Himalayan and Southeast Asian highlands species; slightly browner than Black-nest Swiftlet with proportionally narrower rump …
Great Dusky Swift
Very large; entirely dark sooty-brown with pale grey forehead and chin scaling; slightly paler underparts; broad wings; largest Cypseloides swift; South American waterfall specialist with dusky uniform plumage and imposing …
About These Birds
Himalayan Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (13-14 cm) found along the Himalayan foothills from Nepal through Southeast Asia to Indochina. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested valleys. Colonial cave nester. The largest member of the echolocating swiftlet genus.
Great Dusky Swift
A large swift (18-20 cm) of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested gorges and waterfalls. Nests in large colonies behind waterfalls. The largest member of the genus Cypseloides.