Mosque Swallow
Cecropis senegalensis
The Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) is a rare swallow found in 34 countries, weighing about 45 g. The mosque swallow is a large species of swallow.
About the Mosque Swallow
The mosque swallow is a large species of swallow. It is a resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa, although most common in the west. It does not migrate but follows the rains to some extent.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Eswatini, South Sudan, Burundi, Niger.
When to see it
The Mosque Swallow can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Mosque Swallow?
- The mosque swallow is the largest and heaviest species of African swallow, resembling a big red-rumped swallow Cecropis daurica. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Mosque Swallow?
- The Mosque Swallow is a small sized bird weighing about 45 g.
- Where can you see a Mosque Swallow?
- The Mosque Swallow occurs in 34 countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
- What birds look similar to a Mosque Swallow?
- The Mosque Swallow is most easily confused with the Sri Lanka Swallow, the Rufous-bellied Swallow and the Red-breasted Swallow.
- Is the Mosque Swallow endangered?
- The Mosque Swallow is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Mosque Swallow for real
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