African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesShrublandCup nestTiny · 14 g

ID tip

This 16 cm long species is mainly pale brown in colour. It has long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. The body is slender, and the tail is long and deeply forked, although it is usually held closed. The call is a loud, shrill scream. Sexes are similar, and young birds differ mainly in their shorter tails. Palm swifts have very short legs which they use only for clinging to vertical surfaces, since swifts never settle voluntarily on the ground.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the African Palm Swift

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.

Where to see the African Palm Swift

Regular range

The map shades 47 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the African Palm Swift

The African palm swift is a small swift. It is very similar to the Asian palm swift, Cypsiurus balasiensis, and was formerly considered to be the same species. The Malagasy palm swift was also recently split from this species. This is a common species with a very wide distribution which faces no obvious threats and may be increasing in numbers as a result of the cultivation of the exotic Washington palm, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

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