Cave Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift

Collocalia linchi comparé à Cypsiurus parvus

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Cave Swiftlet African Palm Swift
Nom scientifique Collocalia linchi Cypsiurus parvus
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Apodidae Apodidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 18,7 cm (7.4 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Poids 6,05 g (0.21 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Régime alimentaire Entirely aerial diet of tiny insects and spiders; forages in large flocks over open country … Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Taille de la couvée 2 1-3
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Cave Swiftlet only

Aucun(e)

African Palm Swift only

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Cave Swiftlet

Chant

Soft, rapid twittering; thin 'tsit-tsit' over Javan forests; audible echolocation clicks inside caves; colonial; produces squeaky chattering at roost sites; calls weakly in flight

African Palm Swift

Chant

Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Cave Swiftlet

Found in Sumatra, Java, Bali, and surrounding Indonesian islands. Resident in forest, cultivated land, and villages. Nests in rock crevices.

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Cave Swiftlet

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Cave Swiftlet

Plumage

Tiny; dark blue-black upperparts with faint gloss; pale greyish rump band; underparts whitish with grey-buff flanks; moderately forked tail; widespread in caves across Sundaland; less glossy and less white below …

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Cave Swiftlet

A very small swiftlet (9 cm) found in Java, Bali, Sumatra, and the Lesser Sundas. Dark glossy plumage with a pale rump band. Aerial insectivore, foraging in flocks. One of the primary nest-producing swiftlets; its edible nests (made of saliva) are commercially harvested.

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family