Palau Swiftlet vs Pallid Swift
Aerodramus pelewensis compared with Apus pallidus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Palau Swiftlet | Pallid Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus pelewensis | Apus pallidus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 21.5 cm (8.5 in) | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) |
| Weight | 13.3 g (0.47 oz) | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial plankton specialist catching tiny flies, gnats, and airborne spiders in tight acrobatic flight. | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Palau Swiftlet
Rapid thin twittering; high 'tsit' notes over Palau islands; audible echolocation clicks in cave and building roosts; endemic island species; calls weakly in small flocks
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Palau Swiftlet
Endemic to the Palau Islands in Micronesia. Resident on all major islands; nests in limestone caves. Small but stable population.
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Conservation Status
Palau Swiftlet
Pallid Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Palau Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown upperparts; pale buff-grey rump band; underparts pale greyish-white; forked tail; Palau Island endemic; closely resembles Caroline Swiftlet but restricted to Palau and differing in subtle measurements.
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
Palau Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (10-11 cm) endemic to the Palau archipelago in the western Pacific. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested limestone islands. Colonial cave nester. Population restricted to the Palau island chain. Classified as Near Threatened.
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.