Pallid Swift vs Lesser Antillean Swift
Apus pallidus compared with Chaetura martinica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pallid Swift | Lesser Antillean Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus pallidus | Chaetura martinica |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) | 21.6 cm (8.5 in) |
| Weight | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) | 12.6 g (0.44 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 3 |
| 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.
Lesser Antillean Swift
Sharp, high-pitched squeaking in rapid succession; excited twittering with melodic inflection rising near breeding colony.
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.
Lesser Antillean Swift
Found in the Lesser Antilles from Guadeloupe and Dominica south to St. Vincent and Grenada. Resident in forest and open areas.
Conservation Status
Pallid Swift
Lesser Antillean 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 …
Lesser Antillean Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown overall; pale grey-brown rump slightly paler than back; underparts grey-brown; short spiny tail; Lesser Antilles endemic; very similar to Chapman's Swift but smaller and island-restricted with subtly …
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.
Lesser Antillean Swift
A small swift (11 cm) endemic to the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean. Dark plumage with a grey rump. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested mountains and volcanic peaks. Found on Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and St. Lucia.