Photo: The original uploader was Dawidl at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
African Palm Swift
Cypsiurus parvus
African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) — Swifts of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) is a member of the Apodidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 13.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Apodidae Swifts
- Genus Cypsiurus
- Species parvus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apodidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Palm Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense scrub and shrubland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The African Palm Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) belongs to the Apodidae family of the order Apodiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.6 g, with a wing length of about 13.6 cm and a tail of around 9.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 16 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Palm Swift?
The African Palm Swift is a very small bird that weighs around 13.6 g.
Where does the African Palm Swift live?
The African Palm Swift is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the African Palm Swift belong to?
The African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) belongs to the Apodidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the African Palm Swift eat?
The African Palm Swift is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the African Palm Swift migrate?
The African Palm Swift is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the African Palm Swift endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the African Palm Swift make?
1 real field recording of the African Palm Swift — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Palm Swift's range?
The African Palm Swift has a mapped global range of about 16 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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