Rothschild's Swift vs African Palm Swift
Cypseloides rothschildi compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rothschild's Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypseloides rothschildi | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.6 cm (12.0 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 43.0 g (1.52 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore feeding on swarms of small flies, winged ants, and tiny beetles during sustained … | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Rothschild's Swift only
None
African Palm Swift only
Song & Call Comparison
Rothschild's Swift
Thin, buzzy twittering in flight; soft 'tsee-tsee' contact notes; calls over Andean waterfalls; quiet and unobtrusive vocally; high-pitched but weak; rarely heard
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Rothschild's Swift
Found in the Andes of northwestern Argentina and adjacent Bolivia at 1,500–3,000 m. Very poorly known; nests near waterfalls in humid forest.
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
Rothschild's Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Rothschild's Swift
Blackish-brown overall with subtle pale scaling on throat and forehead; underparts slightly paler brownish; no contrasting white markings; robust-bodied Andean swift distinguished from Sooty Swift by faint pale throat scaling.
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
Rothschild's Swift
A medium-sized swift (15-16 cm) found in montane forests of northwestern Argentina and southern Bolivia at 1,000-3,000 m elevation. Dark sooty plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested valleys. Nests behind waterfalls. Uncommon and local; named after Walter Rothschild.
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.