Marquesas Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift
Aerodramus ocistus compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Marquesas Swiftlet | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus ocistus | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 9.5 g (0.34 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Entirely aerial diet of tiny insects and spiders; forages in large flocks over open country … | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Marquesas Swiftlet only
None
African Palm Swift only
Song & Call Comparison
Marquesas Swiftlet
High thin twittering; 'chip-chip' over Marquesas Islands; echolocation clicks in cave roosts; poorly documented; thin high-pitched calls typical of small Pacific swiftlets
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Marquesas Swiftlet
Endemic to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. Resident on major islands including Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa. Nests in sea caves.
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
Marquesas Swiftlet
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Marquesas Swiftlet
Small; dark brownish-grey upperparts; pale buff-grey rump band; underparts pale grey-white; forked tail; Marquesas Islands endemic in French Polynesia; closely related to Polynesian Swiftlet but isolated on its own archipelago.
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
Marquesas Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (10-11 cm) endemic to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester. Population restricted to a few volcanic islands in the central Pacific. Classified as Endangered due to extremely limited range.
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.