Indian Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift
Aerodramus unicolor compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Swiftlet | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus unicolor | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 22.7 cm (8.9 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 11.0 g (0.39 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Tiny aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; congregates where insects emerge over water. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Indian Swiftlet
Rapid, thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' calls over South Indian hills; audible echolocation clicks in cave roosts; colonial; calls softly in flight; noisy at roost entrances
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Swiftlet
Found in Sri Lanka and southwestern India. Resident in hills and lowlands, nesting in rock crevices on cliff faces up to 2,000 m elevation.
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
Indian Swiftlet
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Indian Swiftlet
Small; uniformly dark blackish-brown throughout with minimal gloss; rump barely paler than back or concolorous; underparts dark grey-brown; forked tail; South Indian and Sri Lankan endemic with exceptionally uniform dark …
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
Indian Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) found across the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. Dark grey-brown plumage with slightly paler underparts. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forests, towns, and agricultural land. Colonial nester in caves and buildings. Uses simple echolocation clicks.
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.