Cape Verde Swift vs African Palm Swift

Apus alexandri verglichen mit Cypsiurus parvus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal Cape Verde Swift African Palm Swift
Wissenschaftlicher Name Apus alexandri Cypsiurus parvus
Ordnung Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familie Apodidae Apodidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 27,5 cm (10.8 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Gewicht 39,4 g (1.39 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Ernährung Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight. Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Gelegegröße 2 1-3
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

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Cape Verde Swift only

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African Palm Swift only

Song & Call Comparison

Cape Verde Swift

Gesang

Soft, musical whistling with smooth melodic quality; clear, unhurried phrases rising and falling gently in warm afternoon air.

African Palm Swift

Gesang

Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.

Geographic Range & Migration

Cape Verde Swift

Endemic to the Cape Verde Islands in the eastern Atlantic. Resident on several islands including São Vicente and Santo Antão.

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.

Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

Cape Verde Swift

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

How to Tell Them Apart

Cape Verde Swift

Gefieder

Dark sooty-brown overall; pale grey-white throat patch; underparts slightly paler brown; moderately forked tail; Cape Verde Islands endemic; similar to Common Swift but slightly smaller with more extensive pale throat …

African Palm Swift

Gefieder

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.

About These Birds

Cape Verde Swift

A medium-sized swift (13-14 cm) endemic to the Cape Verde Islands in the eastern Atlantic. Dark plumage with a pale throat. Aerial insectivore, foraging over volcanic landscapes and towns. Resident population restricted to the archipelago. Closely related to Common Swift.

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.

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