Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Mosque Swallow

Cecropis senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766)

21–23 cmLength45 gWeight

The mosque swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) is a large species of swallow.

Busiest months: July and November · Most records: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Mosque Swallow has been recorded at 333 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 29 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Lake Nakuru NPKenya279 records
  2. Tarangire NPTanzania270 records
  3. Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya178 records
More places
  1. Maasai Mara NRKenya158 records
  2. Lake Mburo NPUganda156 records
  3. Mabamba SwampUganda150 records
  4. Mt Kenya NP – Castle Forest and LodgeKenya144 records
  5. Amboseli NPKenya115 records
  6. Brenu Beach – grasslandsGhana112 records
  7. Bwabwata NP – Mahango riverside loopNamibia110 records

Countries and regions with the most records

KenyaUgandaTanzaniaSouth AfricaGambiaGhanaNamibiaEthiopia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The mosque swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) 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.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Mosque Swallow?

The Mosque Swallow is about 21–23 cm long and weighs around 45 g.

Where does the Mosque Swallow live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

When is the best time to see the Mosque Swallow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Mosque Swallow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Mosque Swallow as Least Concern.

What does the Mosque Swallow eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Mosque Swallow in?

It belongs to the family Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
21–23 cm
Weight
45 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
146 mm
Tail
115 mm
Bill
15 mm
Tarsus
18 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae
Genus
Cecropis

Other birds in the genus Cecropis

Greater Striped SwallowGreater Striped SwallowCecropis cucullataEuropean Red-rumped SwallowEuropean Red-rumped SwallowCecropis rufulaEastern Red-rumped SwallowEastern Red-rumped SwallowCecropis dauricaAfrican Red-rumped SwallowAfrican Red-rumped SwallowCecropis melanocrissusSri Lanka SwallowSri Lanka SwallowCecropis hyperythraRufous-bellied SwallowRufous-bellied SwallowCecropis badiaLesser Striped SwallowLesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaRed-breasted SwallowRed-breasted SwallowCecropis semirufaAfrican River MartinAfrican River MartinPseudochelidon eurystominaWhite-eyed River MartinWhite-eyed River MartinPseudochelidon sirintarae
Mosque Swallow

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Asrat Ayalew Gella. ↗

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