Fernando Po Swift vs Black Spinetail
Apus sladeniae compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Fernando Po Swift | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus sladeniae | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Data Deficient | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 35.4 cm (13.9 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 42.0 g (1.48 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore relying entirely on flying insects (midges, gnats, small beetles) and airborne spiders. | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Fernando Po Swift
Deep, resonant wingbeat audible alongside soft chips; quiet churring call barely distinguishable from surrounding ambient sounds.
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Fernando Po Swift
Found on Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea and adjacent Cameroon highlands. Restricted to mountain forests and highland areas.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Fernando Po Swift
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
Fernando Po Swift
Dark sooty-brown overall; pale greyish throat and chin patch; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to African Swift; data-deficient Bioko Island endemic; plumage details poorly documented from limited specimens.
Black Spinetail
Large; entirely black plumage with slight gloss; black rump unlike white-rumped congeners; underparts dark; spiny tail; West African forest species; all-black coloration with no contrasting markings distinguishes it from all …
About These Birds
Fernando Po Swift
A medium-sized swift (14-15 cm) found on the island of Bioko (formerly Fernando Po) in the Gulf of Guinea, Equatorial Guinea. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore. A poorly known, range-restricted species limited to the volcanic island. Very limited ecological data available.
Black Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (14-15 cm) of lowland rainforests in West and Central Africa. All-dark plumage. Spine-tipped tail for bracing against tree trunks. Aerial insectivore, foraging above the forest canopy. Nests inside hollow trees. Uncommon and seldom observed.