African Palm Swift vs Chestnut-collared Swift
Cypsiurus parvus compared with Streptoprocne rutila
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Palm Swift | Chestnut-collared Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypsiurus parvus | Streptoprocne rutila |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) | 21.8 g (0.77 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. | Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
African Palm Swift only
Chestnut-collared Swift only
None
Song & Call Comparison
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Chestnut-collared Swift
High, screaming trill; rapid 'scree-scree' in flight; shrill and penetrating; calls over Neotropical mountains and canyon edges; alarm a rapid screeching chatter
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.
Chestnut-collared Swift
Found from Mexico and the Caribbean south through Central America and South America to Argentina. Resident in highlands near mountain cliffs.
Conservation Status
African Palm Swift
Chestnut-collared Swift
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.
Chestnut-collared Swift
Dark blackish-brown body with diagnostic rich chestnut collar encircling entire neck; collar bold and complete; underparts slightly paler brown; small swift with striking warm-toned neck band contrasting vividly with dark …
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.
Chestnut-collared Swift
A small swift (13-14 cm) found from Mexico through Central America and South America to Bolivia and Brazil. Dark plumage with a distinctive chestnut collar and throat. Aerial insectivore, often foraging in mixed-species swift flocks over forests and highlands.