African Palm Swift vs Silver-backed Needletail
Cypsiurus parvus compared with Hirundapus cochinchinensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Palm Swift | Silver-backed Needletail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypsiurus parvus | Hirundapus cochinchinensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 36.6 cm (14.4 in) |
| Weight | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) | 85.97999999999999 g (3.03 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. | Obligate aerial forager on small insects and airborne spiders; among the fastest-flying of all swift … |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
African Palm Swift only
Silver-backed Needletail only
Song & Call Comparison
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Silver-backed Needletail
Dry, rattling trill with softer ending; rapid series of clipped notes dropping slightly in pitch as the bird gains speed.
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Silver-backed Needletail
Found from northeastern India and China through Southeast Asia to the Greater Sundas. Partially migratory; winters south in forest and open areas.
Conservation Status
African Palm Swift
Silver-backed Needletail
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Silver-backed Needletail
Large; blackish-brown body; distinctive large silvery-white back patch between wings; white throat and undertail coverts; short spiny tail; Southeast Asian species closely resembling White-throated Needletail but silvery-white saddle more extensive.
About These Birds
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.
Silver-backed Needletail
A large needletail swift (19-20 cm) found in hill and montane forests from India through Southeast Asia. Dark plumage with a silver-grey back and white throat. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore with powerful, rapid flight. Resident and partial migrant.