Bat-like Spinetail Neafrapus boehmi Scientific name definitions

10 cm; 14·5 g. A small spinetail with a quite remarkable appearance; large head, very short, square tail, rectrix spines up to 3·5 mm beyond webs, and long wings with hooked outer wing and deeply bulging mid­wing, pinched in sharply at body. Black-brown upperparts broken by broad white rump  , broader than in N. cassini; underparts white with contrasting grey throat and black flanks. Slightly smaller race sheppardi has paler lower throat and more obvious shafting on underparts and white fringing to fresh rectrices.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

A lowland species, mainly below 600 m but recorded at 900 m in Zimbabwe and 1300 m in Tanzania. Frequents range of primary savanna woodlands, typically quite open, arid and deciduous, with baobab (Adansonia digitata), miombo and Cryptosepalum, as well as edges and clearings in denser evergreen forest, both gallery and larger expanses.

Resident throughout range, but apparently more abundant in Zambia in dry season, while numbers reduced in Zimbabwe in middle of wet season.

Flies, beetles and ants recorded. Highly gregarious, associating with various species of saw-wing swallow (Psalidoprocne), Telacanthura ussheri and Cypsiurus parvus. ­Forages close to large trees. Noted in groups of 2–6 at Kariba, Zimbabwe, with Lesser Striped Swallows (Hirundo abyssinica), Wire-tailed Swallows (H. smithii) and C. parvus in lowest of 3 feeding ­levels, below 20 m. This stratification apparent only when several species present; fed at other levels when alone or with just 1 other species.

A distinctive “sitsitsit-see-tsew” or “sitsitCHE-chew”. Also a high-pitched “srree-srree-seeep”.

Egg-laying Kenya Jan or Feb, Tanzania Apr, Kasai, DRCongo, Oct, Zambia Sept–Oct and Jan, South Africa Apr; newly fledged young Angola Feb, Zimbabwe May and Dec. Solitary, nesting exclusively in subterranean sites such as wells or pits, typically in Brachystegia woodland and usually 3–9 m below ground on slight overhang; new nest built every season. Nest U-shaped, of twigs 2–3 cm long with 1 or 2 feathers, measuring 60–80 mm wide × 25–65 mm deep. 3 eggs, though 2 recorded; parent incubates facing wall; estimated incubation 14 days; young fully feathered at 3 weeks, some leaving nest at 4 weeks and clinging to adjacent wall; fly at 5·5–6 weeks. Perhaps double-brooded; females probably not sexually mature until after 2 years old.

Not globally threatened. Only locally common even in areas of greatest abundance, and rare through much of range. Classified as Red Data species in South Africa where thought to number less than 50 pairs in 1984; in recent times, regularly recorded in N sector of Kruger National Park. Present, in small numbers, in Lengwe National Park, Malawi. Within Kenya commonest in coastal strip.