Great Dusky Swift vs Brown-backed Needletail

Cypseloides senex comparado con Hirundapus giganteus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Great Dusky Swift Brown-backed Needletail
Nombre científico Cypseloides senex Hirundapus giganteus
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 33,8 cm (13.3 in) 40,6 cm (16.0 in)
Peso 83,0 g (2.93 oz) 145,0 g (5.11 oz)
Dieta Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … Aerial insectivore feeding on tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders in rapid powerful aerial pursuit.
Tamaño de la puesta 1-2 3-5
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Great Dusky Swift only

Ninguno

Brown-backed Needletail only

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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

Brown-backed Needletail

Canto

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

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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.

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.

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Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Great Dusky Swift

Least Concern

Brown-backed Needletail

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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 …

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 …

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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.

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.

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