Lesser Antillean Swift vs African Palm Swift

Chaetura martinica comparé à Cypsiurus parvus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Lesser Antillean Swift African Palm Swift
Nom scientifique Chaetura martinica Cypsiurus parvus
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Apodidae Apodidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 21,6 cm (8.5 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Poids 12,6 g (0.44 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Régime alimentaire Aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; may forage at great heights following thermal … Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Taille de la couvée 3 1-3
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Lesser Antillean Swift only

Aucun(e)

African Palm Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

Lesser Antillean Swift

Chant

Sharp, high-pitched squeaking in rapid succession; excited twittering with melodic inflection rising near breeding colony.

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

Lesser Antillean Swift

Found in the Lesser Antilles from Guadeloupe and Dominica south to St. Vincent and Grenada. Resident in forest and open areas.

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

Lesser Antillean Swift

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Lesser Antillean Swift

Plumage

Small; dark sooty-brown overall; pale grey-brown rump slightly paler than back; underparts grey-brown; short spiny tail; Lesser Antilles endemic; very similar to Chapman's Swift but smaller and island-restricted with subtly …

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

Lesser Antillean Swift

A small swift (11 cm) endemic to the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean. Dark plumage with a grey rump. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forested mountains and volcanic peaks. Found on Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and St. Lucia.

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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