Antillean palm swift

The Antillean palm swift has two subspecies: the nominate T. p. phoenicobia Gosse, 1847, and T. p. iradii (Lembeye, 1850).[2]

The Antillean palm swift is 9 to 11 cm (3.5 to 4.3 in) long and weighs about 9 to 11 g (0.32 to 0.39 oz). It has long narrow wings and a medium length forked tail. The sexes are alike. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a dark sooty brown crown and nape. Their back, a narrow center strip of the rump, uppertail coverts, and tail are sooty black to black. The sides of their rump are white. Their wings are sooty blackish with pale edges on the flight feathers. Most of their face is grayish brown. Their underparts are mostly dull white; their flanks, a narrow band across the breast, and undertail coverts are dark sooty brown. Immatures are similar to adults, but their underparts are an even duller white, and the flanks and undertail coverts a paler sooty brown.[4]

The subspecies T. p. iradii is somewhat larger than the nominate, and has a more deeply forked tail. Its back is more sooty than black, its face has more extensive grayish brown, and its flanks are a paler sooty brown.[4]

The nominate subspecies of Antillean palm swift is found on Jamaica, Hispaniola, and some small islands off the latter's coast. T. p. iradii is found on mainland Cuba and Isla de la Juventud.[2] The species has been documented as a vagrant in Florida[5] and there are sight records from Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, Inagua in The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.[6]. The Antillean palm swift is seen over dry grassy areas that have patches of palms, scrublands, forest, and suburban and urban areas. In elevation, it ranges as high as 1,700 m (5,600 ft) on Hispaniola and 1,200 m (3,900 ft) on Jamaica.[4]

The IUCN has assessed the Antillean palm swift as being of Least Concern. It has a large range, and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] "This swift is adaptable to living around human habitations, and the planting of decorative palms provides nest sites for these birds."[4]