Sabine's Spinetail

Sabine's Spinetail

Rhaphidura sabini

Silhouette: Aviceda (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

In 3 days <5%

5 Verified sightings at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park From 2019 to 2026
139 In all 5 parks
April Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Sabine's Spinetail

Sabine's spinetail ( SAY-bin; Rhaphidura sabini, sometimes spelled Raphidura sabini) is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is widespread across the African tropical rainforest. Its common name and Latin binomial commemorate General Sir Edward Sabine.

The Sabine's spinetail is a frugivore. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Alarm call0:06

Uganda · 2012

© Wendy James · XC620058 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Taï National Park 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
~10%
2 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
3 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
4 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
5 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Sabine's Spinetail in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Sabine's Spinetail sighting in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 382nd most-seen of the 400 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Sabine's Spinetail in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Sabine's Spinetail in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Sabine's Spinetail?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sabine's Spinetail sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park the best place to see a Sabine's Spinetail?

5th of 5

Of the 5 parks where we can rate Sabine's Spinetail sightings, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Taï National Park (Ivory Coast, about 10%), Kibale National Park (Uganda, about 10%) and Semuliki National Park (Uganda, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Sabine's Spinetail live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

Same family: Apodidae

The closest relatives of the Sabine's Spinetail that you can see in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (family Apodidae, Swifts) are White-rumped Swift (about 10%) and Little Swift (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Sabine's Spinetail sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Sabine's Spinetail is recorded against all the birds logged in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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