Pacific Swift vs African Palm Swift
Apus pacificus compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pacific Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus pacificus | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 41.516666666666666 g (1.46 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds aerially on tiny insects and spiders, often following weather fronts where aerial plankton concentrates. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Pacific Swift only
African Palm Swift only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Pacific Swift
Thin, reedy trill with nasal overtone; soft chattering notes delivered continuously during rapid low-level flight over fields.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
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.
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
Pacific Swift
African Palm 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 …
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
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.
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.