Australian Swiftlet vs Black Spinetail
Aerodramus terraereginae compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Australian Swiftlet | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus terraereginae | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 22.2 cm (8.7 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 11.2 g (0.40 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore catching tiny flying insects, midges, and airborne spiders in fast low-altitude flight near … | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | -- |
| 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
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
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.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Australian Swiftlet
Black Spinetail
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.
Black Spinetail
Large; entirely black plumage with slight gloss; black rump unlike white-rumped congeners; underparts dark; spiny tail; West African forest species; all-black coloration with no contrasting markings distinguishes it from all …
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.
Black Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (14-15 cm) of lowland rainforests in West and Central Africa. All-dark plumage. Spine-tipped tail for bracing against tree trunks. Aerial insectivore, foraging above the forest canopy. Nests inside hollow trees. Uncommon and seldom observed.