Pygmy Swiftlet vs Black Spinetail
Collocalia troglodytes compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pygmy Swiftlet | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Collocalia troglodytes | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 18.6 cm (7.3 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 5.55 g (0.20 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial insectivore; catches minute flies, beetles, and aerial spiders while foraging near cave roosts. | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pygmy Swiftlet
Extremely high, thin twittering; among highest-pitched calls of any bird; 'tseee-tseee' barely audible to adults; uses echolocation clicks in Philippine limestone caves
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Pygmy Swiftlet
Endemic to the Philippines, found on Mindanao and adjacent islands. Resident in lowland forest and coastal caves. One of the smallest swiftlets.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Pygmy Swiftlet
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
Pygmy Swiftlet
Tiny; dark blue-black upperparts with faint iridescence; white or pale buff rump band; underparts pale greyish-white; slightly forked tail; one of the smallest swiftlets in the Philippines; cave-nesting with pale …
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
Pygmy Swiftlet
The smallest swiftlet (9 cm), endemic to the Philippines. Dark grey-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging in small flocks over forest. Colonial cave nester. Despite being common, poorly studied due to the difficulty of distinguishing small, dark swiftlets in flight.
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.