Silver-rumped Needletail
Rhaphidura leucopygialis
- 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 →
Closest Relatives at Sepilok
Plume-toed Swiftlet
Collocalia affinis
White-nest Swiftlet
Aerodramus fuciphagus
Brown-backed Needletail
Hirundapus giganteus
Asian Palm-Swift
Cypsiurus balasiensis
House Swift
Apus nipalensis
Pacific Swift
Apus pacificus
Black-nest Swiftlet
Aerodramus maximus
Mossy-nest Swiftlet
Aerodramus salangana
White-throated Needletail
Hirundapus caudacutus
Gray-rumped Treeswift
Hemiprocne longipennis
Whiskered Treeswift
Hemiprocne comata
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
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 Sepilok?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Silver-rumped Needletail sighting in Sepilok, based on 761 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Silver-rumped Needletail in Sepilok?
October has the highest sighting rate for Silver-rumped Needletail in Sepilok in our monthly data.