African palm swift
Cypsiurus parvus
SUBFAMILY
Apodinae
TAXONOMY
Cypselus parvus Lichtenstein, 1823, Nubia. Eight subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Palm swift, Old World palm swift; French: Martinet des Palmes; German: Palmensegler; Spanish: Vencejo Palmero Africano.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
6.1 in (16 cm); 0.4–0.5 oz (10–14 g). One of the smallest African swifts. Pale gray-brown upperparts with head and wings appearing darker; underparts very pale with some streaking on the throat. Males have whiter throats than females.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, including Madagascar.
HABITAT
Local foraging species in open areas in the vicinity of palms; generally forages at low to medium heights.
BEHAVIOR
Close association with palms which provide year-round roosting and nesting sites. Vocalizations a soft high-pitched scream.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Aerial arthropods, including diverse small insects and spiders, as well as winged ants, termites, and beetles.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Nests are small elongate pads of plant floss and feathers glued to the surface of hanging palm fronds. Clutch sizes are usually one or two eggs, rarely three. Incubation is typically 20 days. Chicks grow slowly and fledge after a period of 31–33 days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Plantings of both native and exotic palms in suburban areas has resulted in a stable population.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
