Pale-rumped Swift vs Black Spinetail
Chaetura egregia compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pale-rumped Swift | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura egregia | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.4 cm (9.2 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 23.68 g (0.84 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pale-rumped Swift
Breathy, rippling chatter with airy quality; light twittering notes loosely strung together in relaxed arrhythmic sequences.
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Pale-rumped Swift
Found in the western Amazon basin from eastern Peru and Bolivia east to central Brazil. Resident in lowland tropical forest near rivers.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Pale-rumped Swift
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
Pale-rumped Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown upperparts; distinctively very pale whitish rump strongly contrasting with dark back; underparts dark grey-brown; short spiny tail; Amazonian species with one of the most striking white rumps …
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
Pale-rumped Swift
A small swift (11-12 cm) of humid lowland forests from Colombia to Peru and western Brazil. Dark plumage with a conspicuous pale rump band. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy and rivers. Often seen in mixed-species swift flocks.
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.