Uniform Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift
Aerodramus vanikorensis compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Uniform Swiftlet | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aerodramus vanikorensis | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.2 cm (9.1 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 10.4 g (0.37 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 | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Uniform Swiftlet
Thin, high-pitched twittering; 'tsit-tsit' notes over Pacific islands; echolocation clicks inside caves; uniform dark plumage matched by simple unremarkable call quality
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Uniform Swiftlet
Found across Melanesia from the Moluccas and New Guinea east through the Solomons, Vanuatu, and Fiji. Resident in diverse habitats.
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
Uniform Swiftlet
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Uniform Swiftlet
Small; dark grey-brown plumage throughout with rump barely or not at all paler than back; underparts slightly paler grey-brown; forked tail; unusually for Aerodramus, has minimal rump contrast; widespread Melanesian …
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
Uniform Swiftlet
A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) widespread from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia to Melanesia. Dark uniform plumage with a slightly paler rump. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester using echolocation. One of the most taxonomically complex swiftlet species.
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.