Dark-rumped Swift vs African Palm Swift

Apus acuticauda comparé à Cypsiurus parvus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Dark-rumped Swift African Palm Swift
Nom scientifique Apus acuticauda Cypsiurus parvus
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Apodidae Apodidae
Statut de conservation Near Threatened Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 34,8 cm (13.7 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Poids 37,43 g (1.32 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Régime alimentaire Aerial insectivore feeding on swarms of small flies, winged ants, and tiny beetles during sustained … Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Taille de la couvée 2-4 1-3
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Dark-rumped Swift only

Aucun(e)

African Palm Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

Dark-rumped Swift

Chant

Thin, high twittering with silvery sheen; rapid sequence of light notes with gentle tremolo quality at dawn and dusk.

African Palm Swift

Chant

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

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Geographic Range & Migration

Dark-rumped Swift

Found in northeastern India (Assam) and adjacent Myanmar. Rare and poorly known; found in forested hills and river valleys at moderate elevation.

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.

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Statut de conservation

Near Threatened

Dark-rumped Swift

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Dark-rumped Swift

Plumage

Dark sooty-brown throughout with dark rump concolorous with back; no contrasting white rump patch; pale white throat; underparts dark brown; Himalayan endemic cliff-nester; dark rump contrasting with white-rumped relatives is …

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.

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About These Birds

Dark-rumped Swift

A medium-sized swift (17-18 cm) found in hill and montane regions of South and Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas to Indochina. Dark plumage with a contrasting dark rump. Aerial insectivore. Breeds on cliffs. Classified as Vulnerable due to limited breeding sites and habitat disturbance.

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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