Philippine Swiftlet vs Pallid Swift
Aerodramus mearnsi compared with Apus pallidus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Philippine Swiftlet | Pallid Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus mearnsi | Apus pallidus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 21.8 cm (8.6 in) | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) |
| Weight | 11.5 g (0.41 oz) | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial feeder on microscopic flying insects and spiders; highly social forager over tropical forest. | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. |
| Clutch Size | 4 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Philippine Swiftlet
High twittering trill; thin 'tsit-tsit' notes over Philippine mountains; echolocation clicks in cave roosts; calls softly; flock produces chattering at roost; unremarkable vocalizations
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Philippine Swiftlet
Endemic to the Philippines, found on Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, and adjacent islands. Resident in lowland and hill forest and open areas.
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Conservation Status
Philippine Swiftlet
Pallid Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Philippine Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown upperparts with faint gloss; pale grey rump band; underparts greyish-white; moderately forked tail; Philippine endemic using echolocation; echolocation ability distinguishes Aerodramus from Collocalia swiftlets.
Pallid Swift
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 …
About These Birds
Philippine Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (10-11 cm) endemic to the Philippines. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester. Uses echolocation for navigating dark cave interiors. Found across the major Philippine island groups. Poorly studied ecology.
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.