Mossy-nest Swiftlet vs Black Spinetail

Aerodramus salangana comparado con Telacanthura melanopygia

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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Mossy-nest Swiftlet Black Spinetail
Nombre científico Aerodramus salangana Telacanthura melanopygia
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 22,7 cm (8.9 in) 32,4 cm (12.8 in)
Peso 11,3 g (0.40 oz) 52,0 g (1.83 oz)
Dieta Aerial insectivore consuming minute dipterans, midges, and ballooning spiders caught in continuous fast flight. High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight.
Tamaño de la puesta 1-2 --
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Mossy-nest Swiftlet only

Ninguno

Black Spinetail only

Ninguno

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 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

Black Spinetail

Canto

Deep, resonant chattering with gravelly undertones; series of rough churring notes interspersed with sharp screaming calls.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 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.

Black Spinetail

Found in West and Central Africa from Nigeria and Cameroon east to Uganda. Resident in lowland rainforest and forest edge.

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

Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Mossy-nest Swiftlet

Least Concern

Black Spinetail

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 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.

Black Spinetail

Plumaje

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 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.

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.

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

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family