Antillean Palm Swift vs Black Spinetail
Tachornis phoenicobia compared with Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Antillean Palm Swift | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tachornis phoenicobia | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.4 cm (8.0 in) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 10.0 g (0.35 oz) | 52.0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds aerially on tiny insects and spiders, often following weather fronts where aerial plankton concentrates. | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Clutch Size | 2-5 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Antillean Palm Swift
Rapid, thin twittering with intermittent pauses; light chips strung loosely forming an airy, barely structured vocalisation.
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Antillean Palm Swift
Found in Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Resident in open areas near palms; nests inside hanging palm fronds in the Caribbean.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Conservation Status
Antillean Palm Swift
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
Antillean Palm Swift
Tiny; dark brown-black upperparts; white rump contrasting with dark back; underparts white with dark breast band; dark brown flanks and sides; deeply forked tail; Caribbean endemic with striking white rump …
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
Antillean Palm Swift
A small swift (10-11 cm) endemic to the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola). Dark plumage with a white rump. Long, deeply forked tail. Aerial insectivore, closely associated with royal palms (Roystonea), nesting inside hanging dead palm fronds.
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.