American Black Swift vs Great Dusky Swift

American Black Swift

Cypseloides niger

Small40 gForest

In flight, these birds resemble flying cigars with long slender curved wings. The plumage is mostly a sooty, dark gray. There is some contrast between the inner and outer portions of the wing. The shoulders are distinctly darker in color than other parts of the wing. They have short tails that are slightly forked.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Adam Jackson · CC0

Great Dusky Swift

Cypseloides senex

Medium82 gForest

The great dusky swift is the largest member of genus Cypseloides. It is 18 cm (7.1 in) long and weighs 56 to 110 g (2.0 to 3.9 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a chocolate brown crown and throat with pale gray edges to the feathers, giving a frosted appearance to the face. Their back is a darker brown, their rump a brown intermediate between the head and back, and their tail blackish brown. Their undersides are a paler brown than the back. The upper side of the wing is mostly brown and the underside somewhat lighter. Voice: The great dusky swift's principal vocalization is described as "a ti-ti-ti sound followed by a buzz, tirr-tshaarr."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mark Bolnik · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: American Black Swift and Great Dusky Swift.