Bare-legged Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift
Aerodramus nuditarsus compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bare-legged Swiftlet | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus nuditarsus | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 13.3 g (0.47 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial insectivore; catches minute flies, beetles, and aerial spiders while foraging near cave roosts. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Bare-legged Swiftlet only
None
African Palm Swift only
Song & Call Comparison
Bare-legged Swiftlet
High thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' over New Guinea lowlands; echolocation clicks in cave roosts; calls weakly in flight; colonial nester producing soft flock chattering
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bare-legged Swiftlet
Found in lowland New Guinea and adjacent islands. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge. Little-known Papuan endemic.
African Palm Swift
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Somalia and south to South Africa. Common in open areas near palms; nests in palm leaves.
Conservation Status
Bare-legged Swiftlet
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Bare-legged Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown upperparts; pale rump band; underparts whitish-grey; forked tail; bare unfeathered tarsi distinctive among swiftlets; New Guinea lowland cave-nesting species; bare legs visible at nest but rarely field-observable.
African Palm Swift
Slender and long-tailed; uniformly pale greyish-brown overall; underparts paler grey-buff; long deeply forked tail; pale uniform appearance with no contrasting markings; widespread African palm-nesting swift with distinctive slender silhouette.
About These Birds
Bare-legged Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (10-11 cm) found in New Guinea, particularly in lowland and hill forests. Distinguished by its bare, featherless tarsi. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester. Uses echolocation for cave navigation. Limited published ecological data.
African Palm Swift
A slender swift (15-17 cm) with long, narrow wings and a deeply forked tail. Dark brown plumage. Found across sub-Saharan Africa in savanna and open woodland, closely associated with palm trees. Aerial insectivore. One of Africa's most abundant swift species.