Southern Swift vs Great Dusky Swift

Chaetura meridionalis verglichen mit Cypseloides senex

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal Southern Swift Great Dusky Swift
Wissenschaftlicher Name Chaetura meridionalis Cypseloides senex
Ordnung Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familie Apodidae Apodidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 26,3 cm (10.4 in) 33,8 cm (13.3 in)
Gewicht 19,8 g (0.70 oz) 83,0 g (2.93 oz)
Ernährung Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial …
Gelegegröße 3-5 1-2
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

Southern Swift only

-

Great Dusky Swift only

-

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Southern Swift

Gesang

Faint, thin squealing trill; rapid metallic chips cascading high-pitched over coastal forest, almost ventriloquial in quality.

Great Dusky Swift

Gesang

Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Southern Swift

Found in southern South America from Brazil to Argentina. Migratory, moving north to Amazonia during the austral winter. Open areas and forest.

Great Dusky Swift

Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

Southern Swift

Least Concern

Great Dusky Swift

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Southern Swift

Gefieder

Small; dark sooty-brown overall; pale grey rump band moderately contrasting with dark back; underparts dark grey-brown; short spiny tail; southern South American migratory species; closely resembles Ashy-tailed Swift but rump …

Great Dusky Swift

Gefieder

Very large; entirely dark sooty-brown with pale grey forehead and chin scaling; slightly paler underparts; broad wings; largest Cypseloides swift; South American waterfall specialist with dusky uniform plumage and imposing …

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Southern Swift

A small swift (11-12 cm) found in southeastern South America from Brazil to Argentina. Dark grey-brown plumage. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore. A long-distance austral migrant, breeding in southern Brazil and migrating north to Amazonia in the austral winter.

Great Dusky Swift

A large swift (18-20 cm) of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested gorges and waterfalls. Nests in large colonies behind waterfalls. The largest member of the genus Cypseloides.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family