Papuan Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift
Aerodramus papuensis compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Papuan Swiftlet | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus papuensis | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Data Deficient | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.5 cm (10.4 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 20.4 g (0.72 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds aerially on tiny flying insects and drifting spiders; often forages in mixed-species flocks over … | 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
Papuan Swiftlet
High thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' over New Guinea; echolocation clicks used in cave roosts; larger than many swiftlets; slightly deeper calls; data deficient in recordings
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
Papuan Swiftlet
Found in lowland New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge. Little-known Papuan 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
Papuan Swiftlet
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Papuan Swiftlet
Small; dark brownish-grey upperparts; pale grey rump band; underparts pale grey; forked tail; New Guinea swiftlet; large for the genus; data-deficient with limited specimens; rump band moderately contrasting with dark …
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
Papuan Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) found in lowland and hill forests of New Guinea. Dark plumage with a slightly pale rump. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester using echolocation. Closely related to the Edible-nest Swiftlet. 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.