Mossy-nest Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift

Aerodramus salangana comparado con Cypsiurus parvus

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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Mossy-nest Swiftlet African Palm Swift
Nombre científico Aerodramus salangana Cypsiurus parvus
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 22,7 cm (8.9 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Peso 11,3 g (0.40 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Dieta Aerial insectivore consuming minute dipterans, midges, and ballooning spiders caught in continuous fast flight. Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Tamaño de la puesta 1-2 1-3
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Mossy-nest Swiftlet only

Ninguno

African Palm Swift only

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

Song & Call Comparison

Mossy-nest Swiftlet

Canto

Rapid thin twittering; 'chip-chip' over Borneo forests; echolocation clicks in cave roosts; uses mossy nest material; calls softly in colonial roosts; moderate-pitched swiftlet

African Palm Swift

Canto

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

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

Geographic Range & Migration

Mossy-nest Swiftlet

Found from the Philippines through Borneo and Sulawesi to the Moluccas. Resident in lowland and hill forest, often over rivers.

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.

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

Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Mossy-nest Swiftlet

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

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

How to Tell Them Apart

Mossy-nest Swiftlet

Plumaje

Small; dark grey-brown upperparts with slight iridescence; pale grey-brown rump slightly paler than back; underparts greyish-white; forked tail; Sundaic swiftlet building mossy nests; rump contrast moderate, less striking than White-rumped.

African Palm Swift

Plumaje

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.

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

About These Birds

Mossy-nest Swiftlet

A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) found from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia to the Philippines. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore. Colonial cave nester. Named for the salanga caves of Java where large colonies breed. Nests made partially of moss and saliva.

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.

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

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family