African Swift vs Mottled Swift
Apus barbatus comparado con Tachymarptis aequatorialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | African Swift | Mottled Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Apus barbatus | Tachymarptis aequatorialis |
| Orden | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familia | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | 34,2 cm (13.5 in) | 41,5 cm (16.3 in) |
| Peso | 42,666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) | 94,0 g (3.32 oz) |
| Dieta | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … | Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial … |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Song & Call Comparison
African Swift
Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.
Mottled Swift
Rough, coarse chatter with scratchy texture; bursts of harsh notes blending into continuous buzzy trill near nesting cliffs.
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Mottled Swift
Found across equatorial Africa from Guinea east to Ethiopia and south to Zambia. Resident in highland forests and rocky cliffs at 900–3,400 m.
Estado de conservación
African Swift
Mottled Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
African Swift
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.
Mottled Swift
Large; dark brown upperparts; mottled white and brown underparts with white scales on each feather creating scaled appearance; pale throat; African montane species closely related to Alpine Swift but with …
About These Birds
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.
Mottled Swift
A large swift (20-22 cm) found in montane regions of eastern and southern Africa, typically at 1,500-3,000 m elevation. Dark plumage with mottled white underparts and throat. Aerial insectivore. Often seen in large flocks soaring over mountain escarpments and gorges.