Chimney Swift vs African Palm Swift
Chaetura pelagica compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chimney Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura pelagica | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.9 cm (9.8 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 22.666666666666668 g (0.80 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial forager on tiny insects and wind-dispersed spiders; forages near water surfaces where insects concentrate. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Chimney Swift
Rapid, liquid twittering with bright cheerful quality; chi-chi-chi staccato notes carrying well across open sky at dusk.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Chimney Swift
Breeds in eastern North America from Canada south to Texas. Long-distance migrant wintering in the upper Amazon basin of Peru and Brazil.
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
Chimney Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Chimney Swift
Small; uniformly dark sooty-grey overall with slightly paler grey throat and chin; no contrasting rump patch; short spiny tail; sexes identical; North American chimney-nesting species famous for its swirling pre-roost …
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
Chimney Swift
A medium-sized swift (12-15 cm) famous for roosting and nesting inside chimneys across eastern North America. Dark grey-brown plumage with a cigar-shaped body and short, spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore catching flying insects. Long-distance migrant wintering in northwestern South America.
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.