Vaux's Swift vs African Palm Swift
Chaetura vauxi compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Vaux's Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetura vauxi | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 22.3 cm (8.8 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 18.033333333333335 g (0.64 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and spiders drifting in aerial plankton at altitude. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Vaux's Swift
Soft, high sibilant whisper followed by ticking notes; delicate trill barely audible beyond immediate roosting vicinity.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Vaux's Swift
Breeds in western North America from Alaska south to Central America. Migrates to winter in Venezuela and northwestern South America.
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
Vaux's Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Vaux's Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown upperparts; pale grey rump slightly paler than back; underparts pale greyish-brown; short spiny tail; smaller and paler-bellied than Chimney Swift; Pacific coast North American species with subtly …
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
Vaux's Swift
A small swift (11-12 cm) found in western North America from Alaska to Central America. Dark grey-brown plumage similar to Chimney Swift but smaller. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, nesting in hollow trees and chimneys. Partial migrant wintering in Central 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.