Malagasy Palm Swift vs African Palm Swift
Cypsiurus gracilis compared with Cypsiurus parvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Malagasy Palm Swift | African Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypsiurus gracilis | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.8 cm (9.8 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 12.0 g (0.42 oz) | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) |
| Diet | Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Malagasy Palm Swift only
African Palm Swift only
Song & Call Comparison
Malagasy Palm Swift
Sharp, emphatic chip followed by buzzy rattle; staccato delivery with rising inflection at end of each phrase sequence.
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Geographic Range & Migration
Malagasy Palm Swift
Found in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Resident in open areas with palms and forest edge across Madagascar.
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
Malagasy Palm Swift
African Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Malagasy Palm Swift
Slender; pale grey-brown overall; underparts slightly paler; long deeply forked tail; Malagasy endemic; very similar to African Palm Swift in uniform pale brown coloration but slightly smaller and confined to …
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
Malagasy Palm Swift
A slender swift (15-16 cm) endemic to Madagascar. Dark brown plumage with a deeply forked tail. Closely related to African Palm Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging over open country, towns, and along forest edges. Associated with Ravenala and other palms for nesting.
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.