Silver-rumped Needletail
Rhaphidura leucopygialis
Silhouette: Aviceda (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderApodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds)
- FamilyApodidae (Swifts)
- GenusRhaphidura (Rhaphidura Spinetails)
- SpeciesRhaphidura leucopygialis (Silver-rumped Needletail)
About the Silver-rumped Needletail
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. Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Silver-rumped Needletail in Kinabalu Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kinabalu Park
Plume-toed Swiftlet
Collocalia affinis
House Swift
Apus nipalensis
Waterfall Swift
Hydrochous gigas
White-nest Swiftlet
Aerodramus fuciphagus
Asian Palm-Swift
Cypsiurus balasiensis
Brown-backed Needletail
Hirundapus giganteus
White-throated Needletail
Hirundapus caudacutus
Pacific Swift
Apus pacificus
Black-nest Swiftlet
Aerodramus maximus
Bornean Swiftlet
Collocalia dodgei
Gray-rumped Treeswift
Hemiprocne longipennis
Whiskered Treeswift
Hemiprocne comata
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 6 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 7 | Tanjung Puting National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 8 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 9 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 10 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 11 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 12 | Bako National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Silver-rumped Needletail in Kinabalu Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Silver-rumped Needletail sighting in Kinabalu Park, based on 107 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Silver-rumped Needletail in Kinabalu Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Silver-rumped Needletail in Kinabalu Park in our monthly data.