Mountain Swiftlet vs Great Dusky Swift

Aerodramus hirundinaceus comparé à Cypseloides senex

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Mountain Swiftlet Great Dusky Swift
Nom scientifique Aerodramus hirundinaceus Cypseloides senex
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Apodidae Apodidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 23,0 cm (9.1 in) 33,8 cm (13.3 in)
Poids 9,700000000000001 g (0.34 oz) 83,0 g (2.93 oz)
Régime alimentaire Entirely airborne insectivore; feeds on minute flying insects and web-dispersing spiders over open habitats. Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial …
Taille de la couvée 1 1-2
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Mountain Swiftlet only

Aucun(e)

Great Dusky Swift only

Aucun(e)

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Song & Call Comparison

Mountain Swiftlet

Chant

High, thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' over New Guinea highlands; echolocation clicks used in cave roosts; calls weakly in flight; colonial; flock calls produce soft chittering

Great Dusky Swift

Chant

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

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Geographic Range & Migration

Mountain Swiftlet

Found in montane New Guinea at 1,200–3,900 m. Resident in montane rainforest, moss forest, and subalpine grassland. Common in highlands.

Great Dusky Swift

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

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Mountain Swiftlet

Least Concern

Great Dusky Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Mountain Swiftlet

Plumage

Small; dark blackish-grey upperparts; pale grey rump band; underparts pale greyish-white; forked tail; New Guinea montane endemic; similar to White-rumped Swiftlet but greyer overall and restricted to high-altitude zones.

Great Dusky Swift

Plumage

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 …

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About These Birds

Mountain Swiftlet

A small swiftlet (10-11 cm) found in montane regions of New Guinea at 1,500-3,800 m elevation. Dark grey-brown plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging above cloud forest canopy. Colonial nester in cave entrances and rock crevices. Uses echolocation for cave navigation.

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.

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