African Palm Swift
Cypsiurus parvus
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-birdfyi="bird" data-slug="cypsiurus-parvus"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://birdfyi.com/iframe/bird/cypsiurus-parvus/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://birdfyi.com/bird/cypsiurus-parvus/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://birdfyi.com/bird/cypsiurus-parvus/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<birdfyi-bird slug="cypsiurus-parvus"></birdfyi-bird>À propos
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.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Envergure | 27,2 cm | 10.7 in |
| Poids | 14,38 g | 0.51 oz |
Identification
Plumage
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.
Habitat & Range
Répartition géographique
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.
Diet & Feeding
Exclusively aerial diet; consumes tiny flying insects and spiders, sometimes following insect swarms for km.
Statut de conservation
Comportement et reproduction
Nidification
Nest type: CP. Incubation: 20 days.
Taille de la couvée
1-3
Son
Chant
Deep, hollow churring trill with resonant bass quality; prolonged vibrating call audible at significant range in open woodland.
Taxonomie
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes (Nightjars & Swifts) |
| Famille | Apodidae (Swifts) |
| Genus | Cypsiurus |
| Espèces | Cypsiurus parvus |
Distribution
African Palm Swift has been recorded in 1 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}countries highlighted
External Databases
Foire aux questions
What does the African Palm Swift eat?
Where does the African Palm Swift live?
Is the African Palm Swift endangered?
How does the African Palm Swift nest?
What does the African Palm Swift sound like?
How big is the African Palm Swift?
What order and family does the African Palm Swift belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Apodidae family