Philippine Spinetail vs Black Spinetail
Mearnsia picina compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Philippine Spinetail | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mearnsia picina | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.3 cm (12.7 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 11.5 g (0.41 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; forages at speed over forest and open … | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Philippine Spinetail
High-pitched, buzzy twittering; sharp 'tsit-tsit' in fast low-level flight over Philippine forest; calls rapidly in tight flocks; distinctive wing sound in fast aerial display
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Philippine Spinetail
Endemic to the Philippines, found on Mindanao and adjacent southern islands. Resident in lowland and hill forest and edge. Uncommon.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Philippine Spinetail
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
Philippine Spinetail
Tiny but long-winged; dark blackish-brown overall; pale grey-white throat and chin; short spiny tail projections visible at close range; Philippine endemic; small size contrasts with proportionally very long scythe-like wings.
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
Philippine Spinetail
A large spinetail swift (12-13 cm) endemic to the Philippines. Dark plumage with short, spine-tipped tail feathers. Aerial insectivore, foraging over lowland and montane forest. Colonial nester in tree hollows and cliff crevices. Uncommon and poorly studied.
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.