Mossy-nest Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift
Aerodramus salangana compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mossy-nest Swiftlet | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus salangana | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 22.7 cm (8.9 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 11.3 g (0.40 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore consuming minute dipterans, midges, and ballooning spiders caught in continuous fast flight. | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Mossy-nest Swiftlet
Rapid thin twittering; 'chip-chip' over Borneo forests; echolocation clicks in cave roosts; uses mossy nest material; calls softly in colonial roosts; moderate-pitched swiftlet
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
Mossy-nest Swiftlet
Found from the Philippines through Borneo and Sulawesi to the Moluccas. Resident in lowland and hill forest, often over rivers.
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
Mossy-nest Swiftlet
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Mossy-nest Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown upperparts with slight iridescence; pale grey-brown rump slightly paler than back; underparts greyish-white; forked tail; Sundaic swiftlet building mossy nests; rump contrast moderate, less striking than White-rumped.
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
Mossy-nest Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) found from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia to the Philippines. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester. Named for the salanga caves of Java where large colonies breed. Nests made partially of moss and saliva.
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.