African Swift vs Mottled Swift

Apus barbatus so với Tachymarptis aequatorialis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Thuộc Tính African Swift Mottled Swift
Tên Khoa Học Apus barbatus Tachymarptis aequatorialis
Bộ Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Họ Apodidae Apodidae
Tình Trạng Bảo Tồn Least Concern Least Concern
Chiều Dài
Chiều Dài Sải Cánh 34,2 cm (13.5 in) 41,5 cm (16.3 in)
Khối Lượng 42,666666666666664 g (1.51 oz) 94,0 g (3.32 oz)
Chế Độ Ăn Completely aerial diet of small flying insects and spiders; never forages on the ground or … Entirely airborne feeder on tiny flies, gnats, and airborne arachnids; one of the most aerial …
Số Trứng 1-2 1-2
Population Trend

Song & Call Comparison

African Swift

Tiếng Hót

Sharp, piercing screech followed by rapid chatter; intense series of notes escalating in speed and volume before fading.

Mottled Swift

Tiếng Hót

Rough, coarse chatter with scratchy texture; bursts of harsh notes blending into continuous buzzy trill near nesting cliffs.

Geographic Range & Migration

African Swift

Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. One of Africa's most common swift species.

Mottled Swift

Found across equatorial Africa from Guinea east to Ethiopia and south to Zambia. Resident in highland forests and rocky cliffs at 900–3,400 m.

Tình Trạng Bảo Tồn

Least Concern

African Swift

Least Concern

Mottled Swift

How to Tell Them Apart

African Swift

Bộ Lông

Dark sooty-brown throughout; pale throat patch whitish-grey; underparts slightly paler; broadly similar to Common Swift but slightly larger and marginally paler below; widespread Sub-Saharan African species.

Mottled Swift

Bộ Lông

Large; dark brown upperparts; mottled white and brown underparts with white scales on each feather creating scaled appearance; pale throat; African montane species closely related to Alpine Swift but with …

About These Birds

African Swift

A medium-sized swift (16-17 cm) found across sub-Saharan Africa. Dark sooty-brown plumage, darker than Pallid Swift. Aerial insectivore, foraging high over varied habitats from forests to savannas. Breeds on cliffs and buildings. Resident or partial migrant within Africa.

Mottled Swift

A large swift (20-22 cm) found in montane regions of eastern and southern Africa, typically at 1,500-3,000 m elevation. Dark plumage with mottled white underparts and throat. Aerial insectivore. Often seen in large flocks soaring over mountain escarpments and gorges.

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