Cypsiurus parvus
The African Palm-Swift is a small and very slim swift. The wings are long and thin while its long tail is forked.
As with most swifts the Palm-Swift is only likely to be seen in flight. They are normally seen in small, but loose, flocks. At night it roosts underneath a palm leaf.
This bird is a common species in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo. It is linked to areas that have palm trees for roosting and breeding.
As Palm-Swifts are always in flight during the day it is not surprising to hear that their food consists of insects that are caught in flight.
When it comes to breeding the Palm-Swift naturally chooses the underside of a palm leaf to place the nest, although they occasionally do use man-made structures. The nest and eggs are stuck on using saliva. Normally two eggs are laid and are incubated by the parents who have to cling to the leaf to cover the eggs.
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