Philippine Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift
Aerodramus mearnsi compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Philippine Swiftlet | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus mearnsi | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 21.8 cm (8.6 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 11.5 g (0.41 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial feeder on microscopic flying insects and spiders; highly social forager over tropical forest. | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 4 | 1-2 |
| 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
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
Philippine Swiftlet
Endemic to the Philippines, found on Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, and adjacent islands. Resident in lowland and hill forest and open areas.
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
Philippine Swiftlet
Great Dusky 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.
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
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.
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.