Lesser Antillean Swift vs African Palm Swift

Chaetura martinica comparado con Cypsiurus parvus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Lesser Antillean Swift African Palm Swift
Nombre científico Chaetura martinica Cypsiurus parvus
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 21,6 cm (8.5 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Peso 12,6 g (0.44 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Dieta Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Tamaño de la puesta 3 1-3
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Lesser Antillean Swift only

Ninguno

African Palm Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

Lesser Antillean Swift

Canto

Sharp, high-pitched squeaking in rapid succession; excited twittering with melodic inflection rising near breeding colony.

African Palm Swift

Canto

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

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Geographic Range & Migration

Lesser Antillean Swift

Found in the Lesser Antilles from Guadeloupe and Dominica south to St. Vincent and Grenada. Resident in forest and open areas.

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.

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Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Lesser Antillean Swift

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Lesser Antillean Swift

Plumaje

Small; dark sooty-brown overall; pale grey-brown rump slightly paler than back; underparts grey-brown; short spiny tail; Lesser Antilles endemic; very similar to Chapman's Swift but smaller and island-restricted with subtly …

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.

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About These Birds

Lesser Antillean Swift

Vencejo de las Antillas Menores (Chaetura martinica), 11 cm. Plumaje gris oscuro; rabadilla gris pálido. Cola corta. Endémico de las Antillas Menores (Martinica, Guadalupe, Dominica, Santa Lucía). Gregario; captura insectos en vuelo sobre bosques y zonas abiertas. Nidifica en huecos de árboles.

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.

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