Atiu Swiftlet vs large flying fox

Aerodramus sawtelli compared with Pteropus vampyrus

Key Differences

• Atiu Swiftlet is Vulnerable while large flying fox is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Atiu Swiftlet	large flying fox
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Apodidae	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)
Genus	Aerodramus	Pteropus (Flying Foxes)
Species	Aerodramus sawtelli	Pteropus vampyrus

Evolutionary Relationship

Atiu Swiftlet and large flying fox share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Atiu Swiftlet

VU — Vulnerable

large flying fox

NT — Near Threatened

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Atiu Swiftlet	large flying fox
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	30 cm
Average Weight	—	1.1 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Atiu Swiftlet

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

large flying fox

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Atiu Swiftlet

The Atiu Swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli) is a species in the genus Aerodramus. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

large flying fox

The world's largest bat species, large flying foxes have wingspans reaching 1.5 meters and inhabit tropical forests from Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia. Despite the alarming name, they feed exclusively on fruit and nectar, making them vital pollinators and seed dispersers for tropical forest trees. Roost in massive colonies of thousands. Listed as Vulnerable due to hunting for bushmeat and habitat destruction.