Pallid Swift vs Antillean Palm Swift
Apus pallidus comparado con Tachornis phoenicobia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Pallid Swift | Antillean Palm Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Apus pallidus | Tachornis phoenicobia |
| Orden | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Familia | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | 33,4 cm (13.1 in) | 20,4 cm (8.0 in) |
| Peso | 42,25 g (1.49 oz) | 10,0 g (0.35 oz) |
| Dieta | Aerial insectivore foraging continuously in flight, taking tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders. | Feeds aerially on tiny insects and spiders, often following weather fronts where aerial plankton concentrates. |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 1-4 | 2-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Pallid Swift
Melodic, rolling trill with rich timbre; sustained musical phrase with slight variations on repeated delivery at dusk.
Antillean Palm Swift
Rapid, thin twittering with intermittent pauses; light chips strung loosely forming an airy, barely structured vocalisation.
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.
Antillean Palm Swift
Found in Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Resident in open areas near palms; nests inside hanging palm fronds in the Caribbean.
Estado de conservación
Pallid Swift
Antillean Palm Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Pallid Swift
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 …
Antillean Palm Swift
Tiny; dark brown-black upperparts; white rump contrasting with dark back; underparts white with dark breast band; dark brown flanks and sides; deeply forked tail; Caribbean endemic with striking white rump …
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.
Antillean Palm Swift
A small swift (10-11 cm) endemic to the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola). Dark plumage with a white rump. Long, deeply forked tail. Aerial insectivore, closely associated with royal palms (Roystonea), nesting inside hanging dead palm fronds.