White-throated Needletail vs Black Spinetail
Hirundapus caudacutus verglichen mit Telacanthura melanopygia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | White-throated Needletail | Black Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Hirundapus caudacutus | Telacanthura melanopygia |
| Ordnung | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familie | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 41,2 cm (16.2 in) | 32,4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Gewicht | 101,475 g (3.58 oz) | 52,0 g (1.83 oz) |
| Ernährung | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. | High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight. |
| Gelegegröße | 2-7 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-throated Needletail
Powerful, loud churring rattle descending in pitch; deep resonant trill audible from great distance, forceful and sustained.
Black Spinetail
Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-throated Needletail
Breeds in Siberia, China, Japan, and the Himalayas. Long-distance migrant wintering in Australasia and Southeast Asia. Breeds in forests and cliffs.
Black Spinetail
Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.
Erhaltungsstatus
White-throated Needletail
Black Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
White-throated Needletail
Large; dark blackish-brown upperparts with metallic green gloss; white throat and undertail coverts; pale white back saddle between wings; short spiny tail; one of the world's fastest birds; white throat …
Black Spinetail
Large; entirely black plumage with slight gloss; black rump unlike white-rumped congeners; underparts dark; spiny tail; West African forest species; all-black coloration with no contrasting markings distinguishes it from all …
About These Birds
White-throated Needletail
A large needletail swift (19-20 cm, wingspan 50-55 cm) with powerful, rapid flight. Dark brown plumage with a white throat and undertail. Spine-tipped tail. Breeds in forests of eastern Asia from Siberia to Australia. One of the fastest flying birds, reaching speeds over 160 km/h.
Black Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (14-15 cm) of lowland rainforests in West and Central Africa. All-dark plumage. Spine-tipped tail for bracing against tree trunks. Aerial insectivore, foraging above the forest canopy. Nests inside hollow trees. Uncommon and seldom observed.