Black-nest Swiftlet vs African Swift
Aerodramus maximus verglichen mit Apus barbatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Black-nest Swiftlet | African Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Aerodramus maximus | Apus barbatus |
| Ordnung | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familie | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 25,8 cm (10.2 in) | 34,2 cm (13.5 in) |
| Gewicht | 16,8 g (0.59 oz) | 42,666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) |
| Ernährung | Aerial plankton feeder taking tiny midges, fungus gnats, and ballooning spiders in rapid coursing flights. | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … |
| Gelegegröße | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Black-nest Swiftlet
Rapid twittering; thin 'tsit-tsit' over Southeast Asian forest; audible echolocation clicks in caves; larger than many swiftlets; slightly louder calls; colonial nester with dark nest
African Swift
Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-nest Swiftlet
Found from the Nicobar Islands through the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and the Philippines. Famous for edible nests made of pure saliva.
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.
Erhaltungsstatus
Black-nest Swiftlet
African Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-nest Swiftlet
Medium-small; dark sooty-brown upperparts with rump slightly paler grey-brown; underparts dark sooty-grey; forked tail; one of the largest Aerodramus swiftlets; named for its distinctive all-black saliva nest rather than visible …
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.
About These Birds
Black-nest Swiftlet
A medium-sized swiftlet (13-14 cm) found from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia to the Philippines. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester, building nests primarily of dark feathers cemented with saliva on cave walls. Commercially harvested for bird's nest soup.
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.