African Palm Swift vs Madagascar Spinetail
Cypsiurus parvus compared with Zoonavena grandidieri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Palm Swift | Madagascar Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypsiurus parvus | Zoonavena grandidieri |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 24.9 cm (9.8 in) |
| Weight | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) | 9.25 g (0.33 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. | Obligate aerial forager on small insects and airborne spiders; among the fastest-flying of all swift … |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
African Palm Swift only
Madagascar Spinetail 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.
Madagascar Spinetail
Rapid, high-pitched chittering calls in flight; thin, insect-like trilling notes delivered in quick bursts above forest canopy.
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.
Madagascar Spinetail
Endemic to Madagascar. Resident in forest edge and open areas across the island. Nests in hollow palms and rock crevices.
Conservation Status
African Palm Swift
Madagascar Spinetail
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.
Madagascar Spinetail
Tiny; dark brown-black upperparts; contrasting white rump patch; underparts pale whitish; short spiny tail; Malagasy endemic; white rump is the most diagnostic feature, recalling swiftlets but with characteristic spinetail tail …
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.
Madagascar Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (12-13 cm) endemic to Madagascar. Dark plumage with a pale rump and short, spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest and woodland. Nests in tree hollows. Found throughout Madagascar's remaining forested areas.