Great Dusky Swift vs Brown-backed Needletail
Cypseloides senex verglichen mit Hirundapus giganteus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Great Dusky Swift | Brown-backed Needletail |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Cypseloides senex | Hirundapus giganteus |
| Ordnung | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familie | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 33,8 cm (13.3 in) | 40,6 cm (16.0 in) |
| Gewicht | 83,0 g (2.93 oz) | 145,0 g (5.11 oz) |
| Ernährung | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … | Aerial insectivore feeding on tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders in rapid powerful aerial pursuit. |
| Gelegegröße | 1-2 | 3-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Great Dusky Swift
Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups
Brown-backed Needletail
Rough, buzzy chatter with intermittent higher squeaks; coarse twittering delivered continuously throughout aerial foraging.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
Brown-backed Needletail
Found from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to Borneo and the Philippines. Resident in lowland and hill forest, soaring over ridges.
Erhaltungsstatus
Great Dusky Swift
Brown-backed Needletail
How to Tell Them Apart
Great Dusky Swift
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 …
Brown-backed Needletail
Very large; dark brown upperparts with bronze gloss; no pale back saddle unlike congeners; white throat patch; white undertail coverts; short spiny tail; largest Hirundapus; brown rather than black overall …
About These Birds
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.
Brown-backed Needletail
A very large needletail swift (22-25 cm), the largest swift in Asia. Dark brown plumage with a paler brown back. Spine-tipped tail. Found in montane forests from India to Southeast Asia. Aerial insectivore with powerful flight. Often seen soaring over mountain ridges.