Horus Swift vs African Palm Swift
Apus horus compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Horus Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus horus | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 27.5 g (0.97 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 1-3 |
| 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.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
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.
African Palm Swift
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Somalia and south to South Africa. Common in open areas near palms; nests in palm leaves.
Conservation Status
Horus Swift
African Palm 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 …
African Palm Swift
Slender and long-tailed; uniformly pale greyish-brown overall; underparts paler grey-buff; long deeply forked tail; pale uniform appearance with no contrasting markings; widespread African palm-nesting swift with distinctive slender silhouette.
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.
African Palm Swift
A slender swift (15-17 cm) with long, narrow wings and a deeply forked tail. Dark brown plumage. Found across sub-Saharan Africa in savanna and open woodland, closely associated with palm trees. Aerial insectivore. One of Africa's most abundant swift species.