Great Dusky Swift vs Sao Tome Spinetail
Cypseloides senex comparé à Zoonavena thomensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Great Dusky Swift | Sao Tome Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Cypseloides senex | Zoonavena thomensis |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 33,8 cm (13.3 in) | 21,9 cm (8.6 in) |
| Poids | 83,0 g (2.93 oz) | 8,0 g (0.28 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Feeds on aerial plankton of tiny insects and spiders; entire diet captured during non-stop aerial … | Aerial insectivore feeding on tiny flies, beetles, and ballooning spiders in rapid powerful aerial pursuit. |
| Taille de la couvée | 1-2 | 2-4 |
| 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
Sao Tome Spinetail
Sharp, high-frequency twittering with staccato clicking notes; rapid-fire chips strung together in buzzy aerial sequences.
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.
Sao Tome Spinetail
Endemic to São Tomé Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Resident in lowland forest and forest edge. Small island population vulnerable to habitat loss.
Statut de conservation
Great Dusky Swift
Sao Tome Spinetail
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 …
Sao Tome Spinetail
Tiny; dark blackish-brown upperparts; white rump patch; pale whitish underparts; short spiny tail; São Tomé Island endemic; very similar to Madagascar Spinetail but restricted to Gulf of Guinea; one of …
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.
Sao Tome Spinetail
A medium-sized spinetail swift (12-13 cm) endemic to the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea. Dark plumage. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forest canopy. Colonial nester. Restricted range on two small islands. Classified as Near Threatened.