Greater Striped Swallow vs Mosque Swallow

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Small27 gGrassland

The greater striped swallow is 18–20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) long. It has dark blue upperparts with a pale orange rump and a chestnut crown, nape and sides of the head. The underparts and underwing coverts are creamy white with dark streaking, and the upper wings and underwing flight feathers are blackish-brown. The blackish tail has very long outer feathers; these are slightly longer in the male than the female. Juveniles are duller and browner, with less contrast and shorter outer tail feathers. The flight is slow and buoyant, and the call is a twittering chissick.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: bdhimes · CC0

Mosque Swallow

Cecropis senegalensis

Small45 gGrassland

The mosque swallow is the largest and heaviest species of African swallow, resembling a big red-rumped swallow Cecropis daurica. The crown, upperparts, and tail are glossy dark blue, and the lores and sides of the head are whitish forming a collar. The rump is dark rufous, while the throat and upper breast are pale rufous, shading to dark rufous on the remainder of the underparts. Very pale underwing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers. Females are similar to males but have shorter tail streamers. Juveniles are browner. Mosque swallows are 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) in length.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: danielskatz · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Greater Striped Swallow and Mosque Swallow.