Pallid Swift vs Tepui Swift
Apus pallidus compared with Streptoprocne phelpsi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pallid Swift | Tepui Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus pallidus | Streptoprocne phelpsi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) |
| Weight | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) | 22.240000000000002 g (0.78 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 | -- |
| 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.
Tepui Swift
Sharp, rapid twittering; thin screaming 'scree-scree'; calls over tepui summits in Venezuela; higher-pitched than White-collared Swift; small size reflected in thin notes
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.
Tepui Swift
Found in the tepui highlands of southern Venezuela and adjacent Guyana and Brazil above 1,000 m. Resident in Guiana Shield rocky outcrops.
Conservation Status
Pallid Swift
Tepui 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 …
Tepui Swift
Dark blackish-brown overall with no white collar; slightly paler brownish-grey chin; small and compact; confined to Venezuelan tepuis; lacks the diagnostic white or chestnut collar found in most Streptoprocne swifts.
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.
Tepui Swift
A medium-sized swift (15-16 cm) endemic to the tepui highlands of southern Venezuela and adjacent Guyana. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over tepui cliffs and forested valleys. Named after William Phelps. One of the least known Neotropical swifts.