Mountain Swiftlet vs African Swift
Aerodramus hirundinaceus compared with Apus barbatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Swiftlet | African Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus hirundinaceus | Apus barbatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.0 cm (9.1 in) | 34.2 cm (13.5 in) |
| Weight | 9.700000000000001 g (0.34 oz) | 42.666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) |
| Diet | Entirely airborne insectivore; feeds on minute flying insects and web-dispersing spiders over open habitats. | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Mountain Swiftlet
High, thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' over New Guinea highlands; echolocation clicks used in cave roosts; calls weakly in flight; colonial; flock calls produce soft chittering
African Swift
Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mountain Swiftlet
Found in montane New Guinea at 1,200–3,900 m. Resident in montane rainforest, moss forest, and subalpine grassland. Common in highlands.
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.
Conservation Status
Mountain Swiftlet
African Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Mountain Swiftlet
Small; dark blackish-grey upperparts; pale grey rump band; underparts pale greyish-white; forked tail; New Guinea montane endemic; similar to White-rumped Swiftlet but greyer overall and restricted to high-altitude zones.
African Swift
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.
About These Birds
Mountain Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (10-11 cm) found in montane regions of New Guinea at 1,500-3,800 m elevation. Dark grey-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging above cloud forest canopy. Colonial nester in cave entrances and rock crevices. Uses echolocation for cave navigation.
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.