Grey-rumped Swift vs African Palm Swift

Chaetura cinereiventris comparé à Cypsiurus parvus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Grey-rumped Swift African Palm Swift
Nom scientifique Chaetura cinereiventris Cypsiurus parvus
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Apodidae Apodidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 20,9 cm (8.2 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Poids 16,15 g (0.57 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Régime alimentaire Obligate aerial forager catching small flies, aphids, winged termites, and airborne spiders on the wing. 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

Grey-rumped Swift only

Aucun(e)

African Palm Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

Grey-rumped Swift

Chant

Soft, rippling trill with gentle buzzy overtones; light aerial call carrying a faint liquid quality on calm mornings.

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

Grey-rumped Swift

Found from Nicaragua south through Central America and northwestern South America to Bolivia and Brazil. Resident in lowland forest and edge.

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

Least Concern

Grey-rumped Swift

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Grey-rumped Swift

Plumage

Small; dark blackish-brown upperparts; pale grey rump contrasting with dark back; underparts dark grey-brown; short spiny tail; Neotropical species with the grey rump as key field mark; widespread from Caribbean …

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

Grey-rumped Swift

A medium-sized swift (11-12 cm) found in humid forests from Central America to southern Brazil. Dark grey plumage with a contrasting pale grey rump band. Short, spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy. Nests behind waterfalls and in caves.

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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