Short-tailed Swift vs Great Dusky Swift
Chaetura brachyura comparé à Cypseloides senex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Short-tailed Swift | Great Dusky Swift |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Chaetura brachyura | Cypseloides senex |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 23,7 cm (9.3 in) | 33,8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Poids | 18,625 g (0.66 oz) | 83,0 g (2.93 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Feeds exclusively on aerial plankton — tiny flies, aphids, and spiders — captured in continuous … | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-7 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Short-tailed Swift
Harsh, screaming chatter with emphatic delivery; loud coarse notes erupting suddenly during competitive aerial encounters.
Great Dusky Swift
Loud, churring trill; harsher and louder than other Cypseloides; calls over Iguacu Falls and major Neotropical waterfalls; buzzy 'bzzzt-bzzzt' in aerial groups
Geographic Range & Migration
Short-tailed Swift
Found across South America east of the Andes, from Trinidad and the Guianas south to Bolivia and the Río de la Plata. Lowland forest.
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
Statut de conservation
Short-tailed Swift
Great Dusky Swift
How to Tell Them Apart
Short-tailed Swift
Small; dark sooty-brown upperparts; very pale whitish rump and tail contrasting sharply with dark body; underparts pale greyish; extremely short tail giving distinctive blunt-ended flight silhouette; widespread Trinidad to Argentina.
Great Dusky Swift
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 …
About These Birds
Short-tailed Swift
A small swift (10-11 cm) found in lowland forests from Panama to southern Brazil and Trinidad. Dark plumage with a noticeably short, square tail with spine tips. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy and clearings. The smallest member of the genus Chaetura.
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.