Pallid Swift vs Brown-backed Needletail

Apus pallidus comparado con Hirundapus giganteus

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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Pallid Swift Brown-backed Needletail
Nombre científico Apus pallidus Hirundapus giganteus
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 33,4 cm (13.1 in) 40,6 cm (16.0 in)
Peso 42,25 g (1.49 oz) 145,0 g (5.11 oz)
Dieta Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. Aerial insectivore feeding on tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders in rapid powerful aerial pursuit.
Tamaño de la puesta 1-4 3-5
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Ninguno

Pallid Swift only

Brown-backed Needletail only

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

Song & Call Comparison

Pallid Swift

Canto

Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.

Brown-backed Needletail

Canto

Rough, buzzy chatter with intermittent higher squeaks; coarse twittering delivered continuously throughout aerial foraging.

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

Geographic Range & Migration

Pallid Swift

Breeds in the Mediterranean and North Africa east to Pakistan. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.

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.

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

Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Pallid Swift

Least Concern

Brown-backed Needletail

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

How to Tell Them Apart

Pallid Swift

Plumaje

Medium-large; pale brownish-grey overall, distinctly paler than Common Swift; larger pale throat patch; wing coverts show pale scaly edges; Mediterranean and Middle Eastern species; pale sandy-brown tone separates it from …

Brown-backed Needletail

Plumaje

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

About These Birds

Pallid Swift

A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) similar to Common Swift but paler, sandy-brown overall with a larger white throat patch. Found across southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Aerial insectivore. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Brown-backed Needletail

El vencejo de aguja marrón es el vencejo más grande del mundo, con una envergadura de hasta 58 cm. Habita en el sur y sudeste de Asia, desde India hasta las islas del Pacífico. Tiene alas largas y estrechas, una garganta marrón oscura y una mancha en la rabadilla. Captura insectos y arañas al vuelo. Anida en grietas de acantilados. A menudo se observa en grandes altitudes, especialmente sobre las montañas.

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

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family