African Swift vs Mottled Spinetail
Apus barbatus compared with Telacanthura ussheri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Swift | Mottled Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus barbatus | Telacanthura ussheri |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.2 cm (13.5 in) | 29.1 cm (11.5 in) |
| Weight | 42.666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) | 32.65 g (1.15 oz) |
| Diet | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … | Aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; forages at speed over forest and open … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 4 |
| 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.
Mottled Spinetail
Harsh, grating screech followed by rapid chattering; loud, raspy trill repeated insistently near colony roost sites.
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.
Mottled Spinetail
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Gambia east to Ethiopia and south to Zambia. Resident in forest, forest edge, and savanna woodland.
Conservation Status
African Swift
Mottled Spinetail
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.
Mottled Spinetail
Large spinetail; dark blackish-brown upperparts; white-mottled pale greyish underparts creating distinctively spotted belly; white rump band; spiny tail tips; African forest species with unique mottled underpart pattern among spinetails.
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.
Mottled Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (14-15 cm) found in tropical forests across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark plumage with white mottling on the throat and belly. Spine-tipped tail for clinging to vertical surfaces. Aerial insectivore. Nests inside hollow trees and palm trunks.