Forbes-Watson's Swift vs Pallid Swift
Apus berliozi compared with Apus pallidus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Forbes-Watson's Swift | Pallid Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus berliozi | Apus pallidus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) |
| Weight | 43.166666666666664 g (1.52 oz) | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial feeder on small insects and arachnids; catches prey in a wide gape during … | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Forbes-Watson's Swift
Rapid, buzzy chatter descending at end; rough staccato notes spilling quickly with emphatic final chip before silence.
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Forbes-Watson's Swift
Breeds in the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa from Somalia south to Tanzania. Partially migratory; range and taxonomy incompletely understood.
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Conservation Status
Forbes-Watson's Swift
Pallid Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Forbes-Watson's Swift
Dark sooty-brown overall with pale buff throat patch; underparts slightly paler brown; Socotra Island and East African coast species; plumage similar to African Swift but slightly paler throat and restricted …
Pallid Swift
Medium-large; pale brownish-grey overall, distinctly paler than Common Swift; larger pale throat patch; wing coverts show pale scaly edges; Mediterranean and Middle Eastern species; pale sandy-brown tone separates it from …
About These Birds
Forbes-Watson's Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found in arid coastal regions from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula and northwestern Indian Ocean islands. Pale brown plumage with a large white throat patch. Aerial insectivore. Named after the German zoologist Rudolf Berlioz.
Pallid Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) similar to Common Swift but paler, sandy-brown overall with a larger white throat patch. Found across southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Aerial insectivore. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.