Pygmy Palm Swift vs Black Spinetail
Tachornis furcata compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pygmy Palm Swift | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tachornis furcata | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 17.8 cm (7.0 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 6.75 g (0.24 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial-only diet of small flying insects, winged termites, and drifting spiders caught during continuous flight. | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pygmy Palm Swift
Tiny, buzzy chips barely audible beyond two metres; minute high-pitched twittering almost disappearing in ambient sound.
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Pygmy Palm Swift
Found in Venezuela and adjacent Colombia and Guyana. Resident in lowland savanna near Moriche palms; nests inside palm fronds. 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
Pygmy Palm Swift
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
Pygmy Palm Swift
Tiny, among the world's smallest swifts; dark brown-black overall; pale buff-white rump patch; underparts pale whitish with dark sides; deeply forked tail; Venezuelan and Colombian palm-nesting species; minute size and …
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
Pygmy Palm Swift
A tiny swift (9-10 cm) of open savannas and palm groves in Colombia and Venezuela. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Long, forked tail. Aerial insectivore associated with Moriche palms (Mauritia flexuosa), nesting inside palm fronds. One of the smallest swifts.
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.