Nyanza Swift vs Black Spinetail
Apus niansae compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Nyanza Swift | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus niansae | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 31.0 cm (12.2 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 32.4 g (1.14 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager; feeds entirely on the wing on small flying insects, midges, and airborne … | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Nyanza Swift
High, thin sibilant trill with insect-like quality; barely perceptible rapid modulation of a single high-pitched note.
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Nyanza Swift
Found in East Africa from Ethiopia and Sudan south to Uganda and Kenya. Resident or intra-African migrant in open savanna near Lake Victoria.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Nyanza Swift
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
Nyanza Swift
Dark sooty-brown overall; pale whitish chin and throat patch; underparts slightly paler brown; moderately forked tail; East African species similar to Common Swift but slightly paler below with a subtly …
Black Spinetail
Large; entirely black plumage with slight gloss; black rump unlike white-rumped congeners; underparts dark; spiny tail; West African forest species; all-black coloration with no contrasting markings distinguishes it from all …
About These Birds
Nyanza Swift
A medium-sized swift (14-15 cm) found in highland areas of East Africa from Sudan to Tanzania. Dark plumage with a white belly patch. Aerial insectivore. Often seen in mixed flocks with other swift species over montane grassland. Sometimes considered a subspecies of African Swift.
Black Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (14-15 cm) of lowland rainforests in West and Central Africa. All-dark plumage. Spine-tipped tail for bracing against tree trunks. Aerial insectivore, foraging above the forest canopy. Nests inside hollow trees. Uncommon and seldom observed.