Common Swift vs African Palm Swift
Apus apus compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus apus | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.3 cm (12.7 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 41.5 g (1.46 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial forager on tiny insects and wind-dispersed spiders; forages near water surfaces where insects concentrate. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Common Swift
Crisp, two-noted call: quick sharp chip followed by descending whistle; distinctive pattern repeated at measured intervals.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Swift
Breeds across Europe and Asia from the British Isles east to Siberia and China. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa.
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
Common Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Swift
Uniformly blackish-brown above and below; pale whitish throat patch; slightly forked tail; no other pale markings; sexes identical; the archetypal swift shape with scythe-like wings; widespread Palearctic breeder and Sub-Saharan …
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
Common Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm, wingspan 42-48 cm) with dark blackish-brown plumage and a pale throat. One of the most aerial of all birds, spending nearly its entire life on the wing, sleeping, eating, and even mating in flight. Breeds across Eurasia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
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.