African Palm Swift vs White-collared Swift

Cypsiurus parvus verglichen mit Streptoprocne zonaris

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal African Palm Swift White-collared Swift
Wissenschaftlicher Name Cypsiurus parvus Streptoprocne zonaris
Ordnung Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familie Apodidae Apodidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 27,2 cm (10.7 in) 42,5 cm (16.7 in)
Gewicht 14,38 g (0.51 oz) 106,45 g (3.75 oz)
Ernährung Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight.
Gelegegröße 1-3 2
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

African Palm Swift only

White-collared Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

African Palm Swift

Gesang

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

White-collared Swift

Gesang

Loud, screaming 'shreee-shreee'; powerful screeching trill; calls from large flocks over mountains; very audible; one of the loudest Neotropical swifts; alarm a harsh rattle

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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.

White-collared Swift

Found from Mexico south through Central America to South America east of the Andes, reaching Bolivia and southern Brazil. Often in large flocks.

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Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

Least Concern

White-collared Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

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.

White-collared Swift

Gefieder

Large; glossy blue-black plumage with bold broad white collar encircling entire neck; collar clean and complete; underparts black; large slightly forked tail; among the most recognisable Neotropical swifts due to …

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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.

White-collared Swift

A very large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 45-55 cm) with a bold white collar band, the largest New World swift. Found from Mexico to southern Brazil and the Caribbean. Aerial insectivore, foraging in large, noisy flocks over forests and cities. Nests behind waterfalls and in caves.

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