Pacific Swift vs Pallid Swift
Apus pacificus compared with Apus pallidus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pacific Swift | Pallid Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus pacificus | Apus pallidus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) |
| Weight | 41.516666666666666 g (1.46 oz) | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds aerially on tiny insects and spiders, often following weather fronts where aerial plankton concentrates. | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pacific Swift
Thin, reedy trill with nasal overtone; soft chattering notes delivered continuously during rapid low-level flight over fields.
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Pacific Swift
Breeds from Siberia and Japan south to China and the Himalayas. Long-distance migrant wintering in Southeast Asia and Australia.
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Conservation Status
Pacific Swift
Pallid Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Pacific Swift
Dark blackish-brown upperparts; distinctive white rump patch contrasting with dark back; white throat patch; underparts dark with pale brown barring; deeply forked tail; white rump distinguishes it from Common Swift …
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
Pacific Swift
A medium-sized swift (17-18 cm) found across eastern Asia from Siberia to Australia. Dark plumage with a white rump patch and deeply forked tail. Aerial insectivore. A long-distance migrant, breeding in Asia and wintering in Southeast Asia and Australasia.
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.