Bates's Swift vs Great Dusky Swift
Apus batesi compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bates's Swift | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus batesi | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.6 cm (9.7 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 22.1 g (0.78 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial … | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Bates's Swift
Rapid, light twittering with bright crystalline quality; cascading series of high pure notes tumbling freely in open air.
Great Dusky Swift
Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups
Geographic Range & Migration
Bates's Swift
Found in a restricted range in West and Central Africa from Cameroon and Gabon. Resident in lowland rainforest. Rare and poorly known.
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
Conservation Status
Bates's Swift
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Bates's Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown overall; narrow pale greyish-white rump band; pale greyish chin; underparts dark brown; forked tail; West African forest species; the narrowest and dullest rump band among African white-rumped …
Great Dusky Swift
Very large; entirely dark sooty-brown with pale grey forehead and chin scaling; slightly paler underparts; broad wings; largest Cypseloides swift; South American waterfall specialist with dusky uniform plumage and imposing …
About These Birds
Bates's Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found in lowland and montane forests of West and Central Africa. Dark plumage with a greenish gloss. Aerial insectivore. Colonial breeder. One of the least known African swifts due to its forest habitat. Named after George Latimer Bates.
Great Dusky Swift
A large swift (18-20 cm) of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested gorges and waterfalls. Nests in large colonies behind waterfalls. The largest member of the genus Cypseloides.