Great Dusky Swift vs Malagasy Palm Swift

Cypseloides senex comparado con Cypsiurus gracilis

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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Great Dusky Swift Malagasy Palm Swift
Nombre científico Cypseloides senex Cypsiurus gracilis
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 33,8 cm (13.3 in) 24,8 cm (9.8 in)
Peso 83,0 g (2.93 oz) 12,0 g (0.42 oz)
Dieta Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing.
Tamaño de la puesta 1-2 1-3
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Great Dusky Swift only

Ninguno

Malagasy Palm Swift only

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

Song & Call Comparison

Great Dusky Swift

Canto

Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups

Malagasy Palm Swift

Canto

Sharp, emphatic chip followed by buzzy rattle; staccato delivery with rising inflection at end of each phrase sequence.

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

Geographic Range & Migration

Great Dusky Swift

Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.

Malagasy Palm Swift

Found in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Resident in open areas with palms and forest edge across Madagascar.

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

Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Great Dusky Swift

Least Concern

Malagasy Palm Swift

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

How to Tell Them Apart

Great Dusky Swift

Plumaje

Very large; entirely dark sooty-brown with pale grey forehead and chin scaling; slightly paler underparts; broad wings; largest Cypseloides swift; South American waterfall specialist with dusky uniform plumage and imposing …

Malagasy Palm Swift

Plumaje

Slender; pale grey-brown overall; underparts slightly paler; long deeply forked tail; Malagasy endemic; very similar to African Palm Swift in uniform pale brown coloration but slightly smaller and confined to …

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

About These Birds

Great Dusky Swift

A large swift (18-20 cm) of southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested gorges and waterfalls. Nests in large colonies behind waterfalls. The largest member of the genus Cypseloides.

Malagasy Palm Swift

A slender swift (15-16 cm) endemic to Madagascar. Dark brown plumage with a deeply forked tail. Closely related to African Palm Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging over open country, towns, and along forest edges. Associated with Ravenala and other palms for nesting.

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

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family