Swayne's dik-dik was recorded in northern Somaliland. Historical accounts describe it using low mimosa scrub and aloe undergrowth rather than open grass plains, and giving a whistling alarm when disturbed.
The historical description gives the back a grey coat with a fulvous cast and the limbs a pale rufous color.
Sclater and Thomas report pairs in broken ground and low mimosa scrub, avoiding open grass plains. The animals also used aloe undergrowth, hid close, and gave short whistling alarms when disturbed; the account says they browsed young mimosa shoots.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.