Great Dusky Swift vs Purple Needletail
Cypseloides senex comparé à Hirundapus celebensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Great Dusky Swift | Purple Needletail |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Cypseloides senex | Hirundapus celebensis |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 33,8 cm (13.3 in) | 42,7 cm (16.8 in) |
| Poids | 83,0 g (2.93 oz) | 186,5 g (6.58 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … | 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
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
Purple Needletail
Thin, penetrating screech with piercing quality; rapid trilling notes cascading steeply, cutting through jungle noise effectively.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Dusky Swift
Found in eastern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia and Paraguay. Resident near rocky cliffs and waterfalls.
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
Great Dusky Swift
Purple Needletail
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
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
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.
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.