Great Dusky Swift vs Black Spinetail
Cypseloides senex compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Dusky Swift | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypseloides senex | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 83.0 g (2.93 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Great Dusky Swift
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
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
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.
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.