Photo: danielskatz / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mosque Swallow
Cecropis senegalensis
Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 45.4 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 senegalensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 45.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mosque 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 Mosque Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) belongs to the Hirundinidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 45.4 g, with a wing length of about 14.6 cm and a tail of around 11.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 12.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mosque Swallow?
The Mosque Swallow is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 45.4 g.
Where does the Mosque Swallow live?
The Mosque Swallow is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Mosque Swallow belong to?
The Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mosque Swallow eat?
The Mosque Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Mosque Swallow migrate?
The Mosque Swallow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Mosque 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 Mosque Swallow make?
1 real field recording of the Mosque Swallow — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Mosque Swallow's range?
The Mosque Swallow has a mapped global range of about 12.9 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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Guides for this bird
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