Telacanthura melanopygia
The Black Spinetail (Telacanthura melanopygia) is a striking, medium-sized swift, typically measuring 14-16 cm in length with a wingspan estimated around 35-40 cm, and weighing 35-45 grams. Its plumage is predominantly glossy black, often appearing iridescent in good light, with a sharply contrasting pure white patch on its lower flanks and undertail coverts. A key diagnostic field mark is its square tail, from which stiff, spiny feather shafts protrude, a characteristic shared with other spi...
This swift primarily inhabits tropical and subtropical lowland forests, woodland clearings, and areas of secondary growth, often found near permanent water bodies. It can be observed from sea level up to mid-elevations, typically not exceeding 1,800 meters.
The Black Spinetail is an obligate aerial insectivore, feeding exclusively on a wide variety of flying insects caught on the wing. Its diet includes beetles, flies, ants, and especially termites, which it often targets during swarming events.
Black Spinetails are highly social and diurnal birds, spending nearly all their active hours in continuous flight, often congregating in large, mixed-species swift flocks. They employ a 'hawking' foraging strategy, continuously capturing insects high in the air with their wide mouths. While gener...
The Black Spinetail is widely distributed across West and Central Africa, maintaining a generally resident population throughout its extensive range. Its presence stretches from Sierra Leone in the west, eastward through countries such as Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon, continuing into the...
Least Concern
- The 'spiny' tail feathers are an adaptation that helps these swifts brace themselves against the vertical walls of tree cavities or crevices when roosting or nesting. - They are among the most aerial of all birds, performing nearly all life functions, including foraging, drinking, and potential...