Mountain Swiftlet vs African Swift

Aerodramus hirundinaceus comparado con Apus barbatus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Mountain Swiftlet African Swift
Nombre científico Aerodramus hirundinaceus Apus barbatus
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 23,0 cm (9.1 in) 34,2 cm (13.5 in)
Peso 9,700000000000001 g (0.34 oz) 42,666666666666664 g (1.51 oz)
Dieta Entirely airborne insectivore; feeds on minute flying insects and web-dispersing spiders over open habitats. Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or …
Tamaño de la puesta 1 1-2
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Ninguno

Mountain Swiftlet only

African Swift only

Ninguno

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Song & Call Comparison

Mountain Swiftlet

Canto

High, thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' over New Guinea highlands; echolocation clicks used in cave roosts; calls weakly in flight; colonial; flock calls produce soft chittering

African Swift

Canto

Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Mountain Swiftlet

Found in montane New Guinea at 1,200–3,900 m. Resident in montane rainforest, moss forest, and subalpine grassland. Common in highlands.

African Swift

Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. One of Africa's most common swift species.

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Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Mountain Swiftlet

Least Concern

African Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Mountain Swiftlet

Plumaje

Small; dark blackish-grey upperparts; pale grey rump band; underparts pale greyish-white; forked tail; New Guinea montane endemic; similar to White-rumped Swiftlet but greyer overall and restricted to high-altitude zones.

African Swift

Plumaje

Dark sooty-brown throughout; pale throat patch whitish-grey; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to Common Swift but slightly larger and marginally paler below; widespread Sub-Saharan African species.

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About These Birds

Mountain Swiftlet

El vencejo de las montañas de Nueva Guinea habita en los bosques montanos de la isla de Nueva Guinea. Nidifica en cuevas y acantilados. Familia Apodidae.

African Swift

A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark sooty-brown plumage, darker than Pallid Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over varied habitats from forests to savannas. Breeds on cliffs and buildings. Resident or partial migrant within Africa.

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