African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) [XC454575]
by Peter Boesman from Kribi, Ocean, South, Cameroon (flight call)
African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) [XC433382]
by Mike Nelson from Arumeru, Arusha Region, Tanzania (call)
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Asian Palm-swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis), with which previously considered conspecific. Subspecies gracilis (with griveaudi) may prove to be a distinct species.
The following 8 subspecies are recognised:
parvus (Lichtenstein, 1823) - Senegambia to Ethiopia, south to southern Sudan. Also south-western Arabia.
brachypterus (Reichenow, 1903) - Sierra Leone to north-eastern Zaire, south to Angola; islands in Gulf of Guinea.
myochrous (Reichenow, 1886) - Southern Sudan to north-eastern South Africa (Transvaal), preferring highlands.
laemostigma (Reichenow, 1905) - Coastal lowlands from southern Somalia to Mozambique.
hyphaenes Brooke, 1972 - Northern Namibia and northern Botswana.
celer Clancey, 1983 - Mozambique to Natal.
griveaudi Benson, 1960 - Comoro Is. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Malagasy Palm Swift (Cypsiurus gracilis).
gracilis (Sharpe, 1871) - Madagascar. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Malagasy Palm Swift (Cypsiurus gracilis).