Pallid Swift vs Antillean Palm Swift
Apus pallidus compared with Tachornis phoenicobia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pallid Swift | Antillean Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus pallidus | Tachornis phoenicobia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.4 cm (13.1 in) | 20.4 cm (8.0 in) |
| Weight | 42.25 g (1.49 oz) | 10.0 g (0.35 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. | Feeds aerially on tiny insects and spiders, often following weather fronts where aerial plankton concentrates. |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 2-5 |
| 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.
Antillean Palm Swift
Rapid, thin twittering with intermittent pauses; light chips strung loosely forming an airy, barely structured vocalisation.
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.
Antillean Palm Swift
Found in Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Resident in open areas near palms; nests inside hanging palm fronds in the Caribbean.
Conservation Status
Pallid Swift
Antillean Palm 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 …
Antillean Palm Swift
Tiny; dark brown-black upperparts; white rump contrasting with dark back; underparts white with dark breast band; dark brown flanks and sides; deeply forked tail; Caribbean endemic with striking white rump …
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.
Antillean Palm Swift
A small swift (10-11 cm) endemic to the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola). Dark plumage with a white rump. Long, deeply forked tail. Aerial insectivore, closely associated with royal palms (Roystonea), nesting inside hanging dead palm fronds.