Horus Swift vs Great Dusky Swift
Apus horus compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Horus Swift | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus horus | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 27.5 g (0.97 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Horus Swift
Sharp, buzzy chip followed by short descending whistle; compact two-part call repeated persistently from elevated perch.
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
Horus Swift
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. Resident in woodland and grassland near rivers.
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
Horus Swift
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Horus Swift
Dark sooty-brown; large white rump patch; white throat; pale flanks creating partial white underpart; square-ended tail; African species; compared to Little Swift, paler flanks give a more extensively white underpart …
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
Horus Swift
A small swift (12-13 cm) found in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Middle East. Dark plumage with a white rump and throat. Aerial insectivore. Colonial nester on cliffs and buildings. Often nests in old swallow nests. Named after the Egyptian god Horus.
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.