Rhaphidura leucopygialis
The Silver-rumped Spinetail, *Rhaphidura leucopygialis*, is a small, agile swift endemic to Southeast Asia, characterized by its sleek, glossy blue-black plumage offset by a striking white rump and undertail-coverts. Measuring approximately 11-12 cm (4.3-4.7 inches) in length, its short, square tail is notable for the stiff, spiny feather shafts (rachises) that project beyond the web, a unique adaptation for bracing against vertical surfaces. As a member of the Apodidae family, it belongs to ...
This swift inhabits lowland evergreen forests, often found soaring over rivers, clearings, or forest edges, typically at elevations up to 1,000 meters, occasionally higher.
Exclusively insectivorous, the Silver-rumped Spinetail feeds on a wide variety of flying insects, which it captures adroitly on the wing through aerial hawking.
Highly aerial and diurnal, the Silver-rumped Spinetail spends the majority of its active hours on the wing, relentlessly foraging for insects. It frequently roosts communally in sheltered locations like hollow trees or rock crevices, sometimes sharing these sites with other swift species. Foragin...
The Silver-rumped Spinetail is widely distributed throughout the humid tropical lowlands of Southeast Asia, primarily within evergreen forests. Its breeding range extends across southern Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore, continuing into the large Indonesian islands of Sumatra...
Least Concern
- The 'spinetail' in its name refers to the stiff, projecting feather shafts at the tip of its tail, used for bracing against vertical surfaces when clinging to roosts or nests. - Despite their swift-like appearance, swifts are not closely related to swallows; their similar looks are a result of ...