Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Greater Striped Swallow
Cecropis cucullata
Greater Striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Greater Striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 27.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
- Genus Cecropis
- Species cucullata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Greater Striped Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Greater Striped Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Greater Striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata) is a member of the Hirundinidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Angola and Namibia to Zimbabwe and s to s South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.1 g, with a wing length of about 12.2 cm and a tail of around 9.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Greater Striped Swallow?
The Greater Striped Swallow is a small bird that weighs around 27.1 g.
Where does the Greater Striped Swallow live?
The Greater Striped Swallow is found across Africa with a range covering AF Angola and Namibia to Zimbabwe and s to s South Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Greater Striped Swallow belong to?
The Greater Striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Greater Striped Swallow eat?
The Greater Striped Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Greater Striped Swallow migrate?
The Greater Striped Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Greater Striped Swallow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Greater Striped Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Greater Striped Swallow — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Greater Striped Swallow's range?
The Greater Striped Swallow has a mapped global range of about 2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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