Australian Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift
Aerodramus terraereginae compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Australian Swiftlet | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus terraereginae | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 22.2 cm (8.7 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 11.2 g (0.40 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore catching tiny flying insects, midges, and airborne spiders in fast low-altitude flight near … | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Australian Swiftlet
Rapid, chattering 'tsit-tsit'; thin twittering over Queensland coast; audible echolocation clicks in cave roosts; flock produces overlapping calls; only Australian cave-nesting 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
Australian Swiftlet
Found in northeastern Australia and New Guinea. Resident in lowland rainforest, forest edge, and open areas. Nests in caves and overhangs.
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
Australian Swiftlet
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Australian Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown upperparts; pale grey-white rump band; underparts pale greyish; forked tail; Australian cave-nesting endemic using echolocation; closely resembles White-rumped Swiftlet but with narrower paler rump band.
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
Australian Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) found in northeastern Australia and the Torres Strait Islands. Grey-brown plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore, foraging over rainforest and woodland. Colonial nester in caves and abandoned mines. Uses echolocation. Australia's only breeding swiftlet.
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.