Silver-rumped Spinetail
Rhaphidura leucopygialis
- Family
- Swifts (Apodidae)
- Order
- Apodiformes
Overview
The silver-rumped spinetail or silver-rumped needletail (Rhaphidura leucopygialis, sometimes spelled Raphidura leucopygialis) is a species of swift in the family Apodidae.
It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Research on the silver- Rumped spine tail has utilized facultative heterothermy, or even torpor, as a physiological mechanism to reduce its metabolic rate and conserve energy in its tropical environment.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Southern Myanmar to Malay Peninsula and Greater Sundas and satellite islands.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Silver-rumped spinetail
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
