Palau Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift
Aerodramus pelewensis compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Palau Swiftlet | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus pelewensis | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 21.5 cm (8.5 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 13.3 g (0.47 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial plankton specialist catching tiny flies, gnats, and airborne spiders in tight acrobatic flight. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-3 |
| 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
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
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.
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
Palau Swiftlet
African Palm 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.
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
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.
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.