African Palm Swift vs Silver-rumped Spinetail
Cypsiurus parvus compared with Rhaphidura leucopygialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Palm Swift | Silver-rumped Spinetail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cypsiurus parvus | Rhaphidura leucopygialis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Apodidae | Apodidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 23.2 cm (9.1 in) |
| Weight | 14.38 g (0.51 oz) | 13.65 g (0.48 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km. | Obligate aerial forager on small insects and airborne spiders; among the fastest-flying of all swift … |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
African Palm Swift only
Silver-rumped Spinetail only
None
Song & Call Comparison
African Palm Swift
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Silver-rumped Spinetail
High, thin squeaking notes delivered at rapid pace; silvery twittering with brief pauses forming loose conversational chatter.
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Silver-rumped Spinetail
Found from Myanmar and the Thai-Malay Peninsula south through Sumatra and Borneo. Resident in lowland and hill forest. Uncommon.
Conservation Status
African Palm Swift
Silver-rumped Spinetail
How to Tell Them Apart
African Palm Swift
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.
Silver-rumped Spinetail
Small; dark blackish-brown upperparts; silvery-white rump band gleaming in flight; underparts pale whitish-grey; short spiny tail tips; Sundaic forest specialist; silvery rather than clean white rump distinguishes from White-rumped Spinetail.
About These Birds
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.
Silver-rumped Spinetail
A small spinetail swift (10-11 cm) found in lowland forests from the Malay Peninsula through Sumatra and Borneo. Dark plumage with a conspicuous silvery-white rump. Spine-tipped tail. Aerial insectivore, often foraging in small flocks over forest canopy and rivers.