African Swift vs Short-tailed Swift
Apus barbatus compared with Chaetura brachyura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Swift | Short-tailed Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus barbatus | Chaetura brachyura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.2 cm (13.5 in) | 23.7 cm (9.3 in) |
| Weight | 42.666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) | 18.625 g (0.66 oz) |
| Diet | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … | Feeds exclusively on aerial plankton — tiny flies, aphids, and spiders — captured in continuous … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
African Swift
Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.
Short-tailed Swift
Harsh, screaming chatter with emphatic delivery; loud coarse notes erupting suddenly during competitive aerial encounters.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Swift
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. One of Africa's most common swift species.
Short-tailed Swift
Found across South America east of the Andes, from Trinidad and the Guianas south to Bolivia and the Río de la Plata. Lowland forest.
Conservation Status
African Swift
Short-tailed Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
African Swift
Dark sooty-brown throughout; pale throat patch whitish-grey; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to Common Swift but slightly larger and marginally paler below; widespread Sub-Saharan African species.
Short-tailed Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown upperparts; very pale whitish rump and tail contrasting sharply with dark body; underparts pale greyish; extremely short tail giving distinctive blunt-ended flight silhouette; widespread Trinidad to Argentina.
About These Birds
African Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark sooty-brown plumage, darker than Pallid Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over varied habitats from forests to savannas. Breeds on cliffs and buildings. Resident or partial migrant within Africa.
Short-tailed Swift
A small swift (10-11 cm) found in lowland forests from Panama to southern Brazil and Trinidad. Dark plumage with a noticeably short, square tail with spine tips. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy and clearings. The smallest member of the genus Chaetura.