Salim Ali's Swift vs African Palm Swift
Apus salimalii compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Salim Ali's Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus salimalii | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 42.949999999999996 g (1.52 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial-only diet of small flying insects, winged termites, and drifting spiders caught during continuous flight. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Salim Ali's Swift only
None
African Palm Swift only
Song & Call Comparison
Salim Ali's Swift
Faint, high-pitched squeak nearly inaudible; minute twittering barely registering above background in dense forest habitats.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Salim Ali's Swift
Found in northeastern India, China, and Indochina. Resident or short-distance migrant in hill and mountain forest. Recently split from Pacific Swift.
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
Salim Ali's Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Salim Ali's Swift
Dark sooty-brown upperparts; white rump patch; pale white throat; underparts dark; deeply forked tail; recently split from Pacific Swift; named in honour of Indian ornithologist Salim Ali; plumage virtually identical …
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
Salim Ali's Swift
A medium-sized swift recently described and split from Pacific Swift, found in the Western Ghats and central India. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore. Named after the renowned Indian ornithologist Salim Ali. Limited ecological data as a newly recognized species.
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.