Indian Swiftlet vs African Palm Swift

Aerodramus unicolor comparado com Cypsiurus parvus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Indian Swiftlet African Palm Swift
Nome científico Aerodramus unicolor Cypsiurus parvus
Ordem Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Família Apodidae Apodidae
Estado de conservação Least Concern Least Concern
Comprimento
Envergadura 22,7 cm (8.9 in) 27,2 cm (10.7 in)
Peso 11,0 g (0.39 oz) 14,38 g (0.51 oz)
Dieta Tiny aerial insectivore taking small flying insects and spiders; congregates where insects emerge over water. Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Tamanho da postura 2 1-3
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partilhados

Indian Swiftlet only

Nenhum

African Palm Swift only

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Song & Call Comparison

Indian Swiftlet

Canto

Rapid, thin twittering; 'tsit-tsit' calls over South Indian hills; audible echolocation clicks in cave roosts; colonial; calls softly in flight; noisy at roost entrances

African Palm Swift

Canto

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

Indian Swiftlet

Found in Sri Lanka and southwestern India. Resident in hills and lowlands, nesting in rock crevices on cliff faces up to 2,000 m elevation.

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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Estado de conservação

Least Concern

Indian Swiftlet

Least Concern

African Palm Swift

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How to Tell Them Apart

Indian Swiftlet

Plumagem

Small; uniformly dark blackish-brown throughout with minimal gloss; rump barely paler than back or concolorous; underparts dark grey-brown; forked tail; South Indian and Sri Lankan endemic with exceptionally uniform dark …

African Palm Swift

Plumagem

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

Indian Swiftlet

A small swiftlet (11-12 cm) found across the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. Dark grey-brown plumage with slightly paler underparts. Aerial insectivore, foraging over forests, towns, and agricultural land. Colonial nester in caves and buildings. Uses simple echolocation clicks.

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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