Pallid Swift vs Ashy-tailed Swift
Apus pallidus compared with Chaetura andrei
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pallid Swift | Ashy-tailed Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus pallidus | Chaetura andrei |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) | 22.3 cm (8.8 in) |
| Weight | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) | 17.1 g (0.60 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Ashy-tailed Swift
Dry rattling chatter with sharp staccato onset; brief bursts of clicking notes followed by descending hissing sound.
Geographic Range & Migration
Pallid Swift
Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Ashy-tailed Swift
Found in eastern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. Partially migratory; moves north in austral winter. Lowland forest.
Conservation Status
Pallid Swift
Ashy-tailed Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
Ashy-tailed Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown overall; distinctly pale ashy-grey rump and tail contrasting with dark body; underparts dark grey-brown; ashy rump and tail the defining feature separating it from other South American …
About These Birds
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.
Ashy-tailed Swift
A small swift (11-12 cm) of lowland forests in Venezuela, the Guianas, and Trinidad, with a separate population in southeastern Brazil. Dark plumage with an ashy-grey rump and undertail. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore. Nests in hollow palms and chimneys.