Great Dusky Swift vs Papuan Spinetail

Cypseloides senex comparado con Mearnsia novaeguineae

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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Great Dusky Swift Papuan Spinetail
Nombre científico Cypseloides senex Mearnsia novaeguineae
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 33,8 cm (13.3 in) 26,0 cm (10.2 in)
Peso 83,0 g (2.93 oz) 34,0 g (1.20 oz)
Dieta Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … High-speed aerial insectivore catching small flying insects and aerial spiders during fast sustained flight.
Tamaño de la puesta 1-2 --
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Great Dusky Swift only

Ninguno

Papuan Spinetail 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

Papuan Spinetail

Canto

Rapid buzzy twittering; sharp 'tsit-tsit-tsit' in low speedy flight; calls in tight flocks over New Guinea forest and rivers; wings produce audible whirring sound in fast flight

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 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.

Papuan Spinetail

Found in New Guinea from the northern coast to central ranges. Resident in lowland and hill forest along rivers and forest edge up to 1,500 m.

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

Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Great Dusky Swift

Least Concern

Papuan Spinetail

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 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 …

Papuan Spinetail

Plumaje

Dark blackish-brown upperparts; paler brownish-grey underparts; pale chin; short spiny tail with projecting shaft tips; New Guinea species; larger than Philippine Spinetail with broader wings relative to body; robust spinetail …

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 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.

Papuan Spinetail

A large spinetail swift (12-14 cm) found in New Guinea and nearby islands. Dark plumage with spine-tipped tail feathers used for bracing against vertical surfaces. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest. Nests in tree hollows. Limited ecological data.

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

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family