Lesser Antillean Swift vs Great Dusky Swift
Chaetura martinica compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Antillean Swift | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura martinica | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 21.6 cm (8.5 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 12.6 g (0.44 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 3 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Lesser Antillean Swift
Sharp, high-pitched squeaking in rapid succession; excited twittering with melodic inflection rising near breeding colony.
Great Dusky Swift
Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups
Geographic Range & Migration
Lesser Antillean Swift
Found in the Lesser Antilles from Guadeloupe and Dominica south to St. Vincent and Grenada. Resident in forest and open areas.
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
Conservation Status
Lesser Antillean Swift
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser Antillean Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown overall; pale grey-brown rump slightly paler than back; underparts grey-brown; short spiny tail; Lesser Antilles endemic; very similar to Chapman's Swift but smaller and island-restricted with subtly …
Great Dusky Swift
Very large; entirely dark sooty-brown with pale grey forehead and chin scaling; slightly paler underparts; broad wings; largest Cypseloides swift; South American waterfall specialist with dusky uniform plumage and imposing …
About These Birds
Lesser Antillean Swift
A small swift (11 cm) endemic to the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean. Dark plumage with a grey rump. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested mountains and volcanic peaks. Found on Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and St. Lucia.
Great Dusky Swift
A large swift (18-20 cm) of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested gorges and waterfalls. Nests in large colonies behind waterfalls. The largest member of the genus Cypseloides.