Cypsiurus parvus.
A very common and widespread swift, distinguished by smaller size and relatively longer tail from the migrant European Swift.
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Palm Swift. Cypsiurus parvus. A very common and widespread swift, distinguished by smaller size and relatively longer tail from the migrant European Swift. |
| Recognition: Small. The wings are excepcionally slender and curved. The whole plumage is grey-brown; savannah birds being greyer, those from the forest zone more brown. The tail is long, slender and forked; when flying straight the two prongs are held together, but are separated as the bird turns. |
| Distribution:. Throughout West Africa and beyond. |
| Habits: Usually in flocks. Always associated with palms, at least for nesting; coconut and iol-palms in the south, Borassus palms in the north. While parties circle in feeding flight individuals may drop uot to cling beneath a palm frond till the group returns. Nests are J-shaped in section, the vertical cemented beneath a palm frond and the curve the nest-cup. The breeding season is not sharply defined. |
| Call: A very shrill screaming call. |
