African Palm Swift vs Scarce Swift

Cypsiurus parvus comparado con Schoutedenapus myoptilus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo African Palm Swift Scarce Swift
Nombre científico Cypsiurus parvus Schoutedenapus myoptilus
Orden Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familia Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 27,2 cm (10.7 in) 25,9 cm (10.2 in)
Peso 14,38 g (0.51 oz) 26,916666666666668 g (0.95 oz)
Dieta Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. Obligate aerial insectivore; gathers small flying insects, winged ants, and airborne spiders during flight.
Tamaño de la puesta 1-3 --
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

African Palm Swift only

Scarce Swift only

Ninguno

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Song & Call Comparison

African Palm Swift

Canto

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

Scarce Swift

Canto

High, sharp twittering; thin 'tsee-tsee' calls over African montane forest; rarely documented; calls from small flocks over mountain ridges; higher-pitched than larger African swifts

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Geographic Range & Migration

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.

Scarce Swift

Found in montane East Africa from Uganda and Kenya south to Malawi and Mozambique. Resident in mountain forests above 1,500 m. Scarce.

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Estado de conservación

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

Least Concern

Scarce Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

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.

Scarce Swift

Plumaje

Dark sooty-brown overall; underparts paler grey-brown; pale grey-buff chin; moderately forked tail; African montane swift of the Albertine Rift; name reflects rarity in field; plumage uniformly dark with minimal pale …

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About These Birds

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.

Scarce Swift

A medium-sized swift (17-18 cm) found in montane forests of eastern Africa, from Ethiopia to Malawi and Mozambique. Dark sooty-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy at 1,000-3,000 m elevation. Uncommon and poorly known.

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