Moluccan Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift
Aerodramus infuscatus compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Moluccan Swiftlet | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus infuscatus | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 21.2 cm (8.3 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 15.25 g (0.54 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial plankton specialist catching tiny flies, gnats, and airborne spiders in tight acrobatic flight. | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Moluccan Swiftlet
Thin twittering; soft 'chip-chip' calls over Maluku islands; echolocation clicks in caves; moderate-pitched for swiftlet; colonial roosts noisy with overlapping calls
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
Moluccan Swiftlet
Found on the Moluccan islands of Indonesia including Halmahera, Seram, and Ambon. Resident in forest and open habitats. Moluccan endemic.
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
Moluccan Swiftlet
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Moluccan Swiftlet
Small to medium; dark brown-grey upperparts with pale buff rump band; underparts pale whitish-grey; forked tail; North Moluccan endemic; slightly larger than many congeners with relatively prominent pale rump contrasting …
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
Moluccan Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (11 cm) found in the Moluccan Islands of Indonesia. Dark brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy. Colonial cave nester using echolocation. Taxonomy has been revised several times; limited published ecological data.
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.