African Swift vs Purple Needletail
Apus barbatus comparé à Hirundapus celebensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | African Swift | Purple Needletail |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Apus barbatus | Hirundapus celebensis |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 34,2 cm (13.5 in) | 42,7 cm (16.8 in) |
| Poids | 42,666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) | 186,5 g (6.58 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … | Catches aerial plankton of small insects and spiders in fast sweeping flight; roosts in rock … |
| Taille de la couvée | 1-2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
African Swift
Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.
Purple Needletail
Thin, penetrating screech with piercing quality; rapid trilling notes cascading steeply, cutting through jungle noise effectively.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Swift
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. One of Africa's most common swift species.
Purple Needletail
Found on Sulawesi, the Philippines, and adjacent islands in Wallacea. Resident in lowland and hill forest, foraging over forest and open areas.
Statut de conservation
African Swift
Purple Needletail
How to Tell Them Apart
African Swift
Dark sooty-brown throughout; pale throat patch whitish-grey; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to Common Swift but slightly larger and marginally paler below; widespread Sub-Saharan African species.
Purple Needletail
Very large; dark black-brown upperparts with intense purple gloss on back and wing coverts; white throat patch; white undertail coverts; short spiny tail; Sulawesi endemic and the heaviest needletail; stunning …
About These Birds
African Swift
A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark sooty-brown plumage, darker than Pallid Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over varied habitats from forests to savannas. Breeds on cliffs and buildings. Resident or partial migrant within Africa.
Purple Needletail
A large needletail swift (19-20 cm) endemic to the Philippines and Sulawesi. Dark plumage with purplish gloss and a white throat patch. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging in rapid flight over montane forests. Less studied than its continental relatives.