The Black Spinetail is a dark swift with stiff tail tips that project like spines. It catches flying ants over African forest and plantations.
It is about 15 cm long, dark brown to blackish with a somewhat paler throat. Stiff shafts project from the tail tip like spines.
It catches flying ants low over forests and plantations, foraging alone or in groups.
It sometimes feeds with other swifts or Square-tailed Sawwings.
Its wings bulge in the middle and hook near the tips. The tail is square when closed and looks rounded when spread.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.