African Swift vs White-chinned Swift
Apus barbatus compared with Cypseloides cryptus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Swift | White-chinned Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus barbatus | Cypseloides cryptus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.2 cm (13.5 in) | 27.4 cm (10.8 in) |
| Weight | 42.666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) | 35.95 g (1.27 oz) |
| Diet | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … | Aerial-only diet of small flying insects, winged termites, and drifting spiders caught during continuous flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
African Swift
Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.
White-chinned Swift
Soft, buzzy twittering; weak 'tsit-tsit' in flight; calls over Neotropical waterfalls; thin, high-pitched contact notes; soft compared to most swifts; rarely vocal
Geographic Range & Migration
African Swift
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. One of Africa's most common swift species.
White-chinned Swift
Found from southern Mexico south through Central America and northwestern South America to Bolivia. Nomadic; joins large mixed swift flocks.
Conservation Status
African Swift
White-chinned Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
African Swift
Dark sooty-brown throughout; pale throat patch whitish-grey; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to Common Swift but slightly larger and marginally paler below; widespread Sub-Saharan African species.
White-chinned Swift
Uniformly sooty-black plumage with narrow white chin spot; no white rump or other pale markings; large for a Cypseloides; cryptic appearance made identification historically difficult; white chin the sole distinguishing …
About These Birds
African Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark sooty-brown plumage, darker than Pallid Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over varied habitats from forests to savannas. Breeds on cliffs and buildings. Resident or partial migrant within Africa.
White-chinned Swift
A medium-sized swift (14-15 cm) of humid lowland and foothill forests from southern Mexico to Peru. Dark sooty-brown plumage with a small white chin patch. Aerial insectivore, feeding over forest canopy and ravines. Nests behind waterfalls. Uncommon and poorly studied.