Photo: Richard Bowdler Sharpe / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Square-tailed Saw-wing
Psalidoprocne nitens
Square-tailed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne nitens) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Square-tailed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne nitens) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 9.8 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 Psalidoprocne
- Species nitens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Square-tailed Saw-wing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Square-tailed Saw-wing is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Square-tailed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne nitens) is a member of the Hirundinidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF c, w.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 5.2 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 2.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Square-tailed Saw-wing?
The Square-tailed Saw-wing is a very small bird that weighs around 9.8 g.
Where does the Square-tailed Saw-wing live?
The Square-tailed Saw-wing is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, w, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Square-tailed Saw-wing belong to?
The Square-tailed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne nitens) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Square-tailed Saw-wing eat?
The Square-tailed Saw-wing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Square-tailed Saw-wing migrate?
The Square-tailed Saw-wing is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Square-tailed Saw-wing 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 Square-tailed Saw-wing make?
1 real field recording of the Square-tailed Saw-wing — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Square-tailed Saw-wing's range?
The Square-tailed Saw-wing has a mapped global range of about 2.9 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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