[2] Despite the similarity in their names, it is in a different genus than the Old World Cypsiurus African, Malagasy, and Asian palm swifts.

T. s. semota is found on Trinidad, Tobago and in the Guianas and north central, northeastern, and eastern Brazil.

They include moist and wet savannas, palm swamps, riparian forest, and urban areas.

[5] The fork-tailed palm swift's breeding season varies geographically, for example between April and June on Trinidad and from September to November in central Brazil.

The nest is a "disorderly, elongated clump of feathers" bound with saliva and having a bottom entrance; it hangs from a dangling dead palm frond.

The fork-tailed palm swift's flight calls have been described as "a trilling trrrrreeeee", "a buzzy d-z-z-z-z-z", and "a thin buzz, bzzzzzzz bzz bzzzzzz".

[1] "This swift is adaptable to living around human habitations, and the planting of decorative palms provides nest sites for these birds.