Grey-rumped Swift vs African Palm Swift
Chaetura cinereiventris compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey-rumped Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura cinereiventris | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.9 cm (8.2 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 16.15 g (0.57 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Grey-rumped Swift
Soft, rippling trill with gentle buzzy overtones; light aerial call carrying a faint liquid quality on calm mornings.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey-rumped Swift
Found from Nicaragua south through Central America and northwestern South America to Bolivia and Brazil. Resident in lowland forest and edge.
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
Grey-rumped Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey-rumped Swift
Small; dark blackish-brown upperparts; pale grey rump contrasting with dark back; underparts dark grey-brown; short spiny tail; Neotropical species with the grey rump as key field mark; widespread from Caribbean …
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
Grey-rumped Swift
A medium-sized swift (11-12 cm) found in humid forests from Central America to southern Brazil. Dark grey plumage with a contrasting pale grey rump band. Short, spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy. Nests behind waterfalls and in caves.
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.