Madagascar Swift vs Alpine Swift
Apus balstoni comparé à Tachymarptis melba
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Madagascar Swift | Alpine Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Apus balstoni | Tachymarptis melba |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 32,2 cm (12.7 in) | 43,9 cm (17.3 in) |
| Poids | 46,125 g (1.63 oz) | 97,5 g (3.44 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Feeds exclusively on aerial plankton — tiny flies, aphids, and spiders — captured in continuous … | Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … |
| Taille de la couvée | 1-2 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Song & Call Comparison
Madagascar Swift
Soft twittering with delicate clicking elements; light, airy notes tumbling quickly in loose sequence near water sources.
Alpine Swift
Rapid series of short, clipped whistles; bright, clean notes delivered in quick succession with occasional doubled phrase.
Geographic Range & Migration
Madagascar Swift
Found in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Resident in open habitats including savanna, coastal areas, and highland grassland.
Alpine Swift
Breeds from southern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia and the Himalayas to India. Migratory; winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Statut de conservation
Madagascar Swift
Alpine Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Madagascar Swift
Dark sooty-brown overall; pale whitish throat patch; underparts slightly paler brown; moderately forked tail; Malagasy endemic; one of the heavier island Apus swifts; closely resembles African Swift but restricted to …
Alpine Swift
Large; dark brown upperparts; white throat patch separated from white belly by dark brown breast band; brown flanks; bold tricoloured underpart pattern; one of Europe's largest swifts with distinctive white …
About These Birds
Madagascar Swift
A medium-sized swift (15-16 cm) found across Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forests and open areas. Closely related to African Swift. Resident population. Limited published ecological data compared to continental relatives.
Alpine Swift
A large swift (20-22 cm, wingspan 54-60 cm) with a white belly and throat contrasting with dark brown upperparts. Found from southern Europe and Africa to Central Asia. Aerial insectivore, foraging at great heights. Nests on cliff faces in large colonies. Powerful, fast flier.