African Swift vs Great Swallow-tailed Swift
Apus barbatus compared with Panyptila sanctihieronymi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Swift | Great Swallow-tailed Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apus barbatus | Panyptila sanctihieronymi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.2 cm (13.5 in) | 36.8 cm (14.5 in) |
| Weight | 42.666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) | 48.416666666666664 g (1.71 oz) |
| Diet | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … | Catches aerial plankton — tiny midges, gnats, and ballooning spiders — continuously during soaring flight. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
African Swift
Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.
Great Swallow-tailed Swift
Soft, rippling trill with liquid overtones; easy flowing sequence of mellow notes carrying pleasantly across open sky.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Swift
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. One of Africa's most common swift species.
Great Swallow-tailed Swift
Found from southern Mexico through Guatemala, Honduras, to Costa Rica. Resident in humid highland forest at 600–2,000 m elevation.
Conservation Status
African Swift
Great Swallow-tailed Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
African Swift
Dark sooty-brown throughout; pale throat patch whitish-grey; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to Common Swift but slightly larger and marginally paler below; widespread Sub-Saharan African species.
Great Swallow-tailed Swift
Black upperparts with white throat and white flanks; bold white rump patch; extremely long deeply forked tail with white outer feather edges; Central American species with the most spectacular forked …
About These Birds
African Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark sooty-brown plumage, darker than Pallid Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over varied habitats from forests to savannas. Breeds on cliffs and buildings. Resident or partial migrant within Africa.
Great Swallow-tailed Swift
A large swift (18-20 cm) with an extremely long, deeply forked tail. Dark plumage with a white throat and collar. Found in highland forests from southern Mexico to Honduras. Aerial insectivore, foraging over mountain canyons and pine-oak forests. Uncommon and rarely observed.