A swift that catches insects in flight. In southern Africa, it may breed in nests taken over from other birds.
It is smaller than a Common Swift, with narrow wings and a forked tail. The throat is white, and a narrow white band crosses the upper rump.
In southern African breeding areas, it has been recorded taking nests used by other swifts and swallows and ejecting eggs or chicks.
In southern Africa it lays one to five eggs, incubated by both sexes for 21–25 days.
Chicks are brooded during the first three weeks of life.
It forages in mixed flocks with other swifts and swallows, taking flying termites, flies and beetles.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.