The fork-tailed palm swift or Neotropical palm swift (Tachornis squamata) is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found across most of northern South America and on Trinidad and Tobago.
Taxonomy and systematics
The fork-tailed palm swift was for a time placed in genus Reinarda that was later merged into Tachornis. It has two subspecies, the nominate T. s. squamata and T. s. semota.
Subspecies T. s. semota is darker overall than the nominate. It has blacker upperparts with less gray on the feathers' edges. Its underparts feathers are darker with very little pale edging and the undertail coverts are shining greenish black.