Whitehead's Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift

Aerodramus whiteheadi comparé à Cypsiurus parvus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Whitehead's Swiftlet African Palm Swift
Nom scientifique Aerodramus whiteheadi Cypsiurus parvus
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Apodidae Apodidae
Statut de conservation Data Deficient Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 27,2 cm (10.7 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Poids 14,0 g (0.49 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Régime alimentaire Aerial plankton feeder taking tiny midges, fungus gnats, and ballooning spiders in rapid coursing flights. Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Taille de la couvée -- 1-3
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Whitehead's Swiftlet only

Aucun(e)

African Palm Swift only

Song & Call Comparison

Whitehead's Swiftlet

Chant

Thin twittering; 'chip-chip' calls over Borneo highlands; echolocation clicks in cave roosts; data deficient; calls poorly documented from remote Bornean montane habitat

African Palm Swift

Chant

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

Geographic Range & Migration

Whitehead's Swiftlet

Endemic to the highlands of Borneo at 800–3,000 m. Resident in montane forest on Mount Kinabalu and the Crocker Range.

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.

Statut de conservation

Data Deficient

Whitehead's Swiftlet

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

How to Tell Them Apart

Whitehead's Swiftlet

Plumage

Small; dark brownish-grey upperparts; pale buff-grey rump band; underparts pale grey-white; forked tail; Philippine endemic from Luzon; data-deficient species differing from Philippine Swiftlet mainly in habitat preference and island range.

African Palm Swift

Plumage

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.

About These Birds

Whitehead's Swiftlet

A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) endemic to the mountains of northern Luzon, Philippines. Dark plumage with a pale rump. Aerial insectivore of montane forest canopy above 1,000 m. Colonial cave nester using echolocation. Named after John Whitehead. Poorly known.

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.

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