Photo: Richard Bowdler Sharpe / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
White-headed Saw-wing
Psalidoprocne albiceps
White-headed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne albiceps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-headed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne albiceps) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.1 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 Psalidoprocne
- Species albiceps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-headed Saw-wing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The White-headed Saw-wing is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The White-headed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne albiceps) belongs to the Hirundinidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, c.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.1 g, with a wing length of about 10.1 cm and a tail of around 6.8 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 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-headed Saw-wing?
The White-headed Saw-wing is a very small bird that weighs around 11.1 g.
Where does the White-headed Saw-wing live?
The White-headed Saw-wing is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, c, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the White-headed Saw-wing belong to?
The White-headed Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne albiceps) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-headed Saw-wing eat?
The White-headed Saw-wing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-headed Saw-wing migrate?
The White-headed Saw-wing is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the White-headed 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 White-headed Saw-wing make?
1 real field recording of the White-headed Saw-wing — 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 White-headed Saw-wing's range?
The White-headed Saw-wing has a mapped global range of about 1.1 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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