Band-rumped Swift vs Great Dusky Swift
Chaetura spinicaudus compared with Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Band-rumped Swift | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura spinicaudus | Cypseloides senex |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.7 cm (8.1 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 16.4 g (0.58 oz) | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Band-rumped Swift
Raspy, churring call with hollow resonance; rough bursts of chattering notes interrupted by brief mechanical clicking sounds.
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
Band-rumped Swift
Found in Panama and northwestern South America from Colombia east to Venezuela and the Guianas, south to Brazil and Bolivia. Lowland forest.
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
Band-rumped Swift
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Band-rumped Swift
Small; sooty-brown overall with narrow pale grey-white rump band forming a distinct narrow transverse stripe; underparts dark grey-brown; short spiny tail; Amazonian species distinguished by the band-like narrow rump patch.
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
Band-rumped Swift
A small swift (11 cm) of lowland forests from Costa Rica to Brazil. Dark plumage with a conspicuous pale rump band. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging in flocks over forest canopy. Often seen near rivers and forest edges. Nests in hollow trees.
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.