Dark-rumped Swift vs African Palm Swift
Apus acuticauda compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dark-rumped Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus acuticauda | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.8 cm (13.7 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 37.43 g (1.32 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore feeding on swarms of small flies, winged ants, and tiny beetles during sustained … | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Dark-rumped Swift
Thin, high twittering with silvery sheen; rapid sequence of light notes with gentle tremolo quality at dawn and dusk.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Dark-rumped Swift
Found in northeastern India (Assam) and adjacent Myanmar. Rare and poorly known; found in forested hills and river valleys at moderate 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
Dark-rumped Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Dark-rumped Swift
Dark sooty-brown throughout with dark rump concolorous with back; no contrasting white rump patch; pale white throat; underparts dark brown; Himalayan endemic cliff-nester; dark rump contrasting with white-rumped relatives is …
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
Dark-rumped Swift
A medium-sized swift (17-18 cm) found in hill and montane regions of South and Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas to Indochina. Dark plumage with a contrasting dark rump. Aerial insectivore. Breeds on cliffs. Classified as Vulnerable due to limited breeding sites and habitat disturbance.
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.