# Mosque swallow

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Species of bird

Mosque swallow Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae Genus: Cecropis Species: C. senegalensis Binomial name Cecropis senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766)[2] Synonyms Hirundo senegalensis Linnaeus, 1766

The **mosque swallow** (***Cecropis senegalensis***) is a large species of [swallow](/source/Hirundinidae). It is a resident breeder in much of [sub-Saharan Africa](/source/Sub-Saharan_Africa), although most common in the west. It does not [migrate](/source/Bird_migration) but follows the rains to some extent.

## Taxonomy

In 1760, the French zoologist [Mathurin Jacques Brisson](/source/Mathurin_Jacques_Brisson) included a description of the mosque swallow in his *Ornithologie* based on a specimen collected in Senegal. He used the French name *L'hirondelle du Sénégal* and the Latin *Hirundo Senegalensis*.[3] Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the [binomial system](/source/Binomial_nomenclature) and are not recognised by the [International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature](/source/International_Commission_on_Zoological_Nomenclature).[4] In 1766, when [Carl Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus) updated his *[Systema Naturae](/source/Systema_Naturae)* for the [twelfth edition](/source/12th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae), he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson.[4] One of these was the mosque swallow. Linnaeus included a brief description and used Brisson's Latin name for his [binomial name](/source/Binomial_name) *Hirundo senegalensis*.[5]

Formerly placed in the genus *[Hirundo](/source/Hirundo)* the mosque swallow and its relatives have been shown by molecular studies to be a separate clade and are now placed in the genus *[Cecropis](/source/Cecropis)*, which was introduced by the German zoologist [Friedrich Boie](/source/Friedrich_Boie) in 1826.[6][7]

There are three recognised subspecies:[7]

- *C.s. senegalensis* (Linnaeus, 1766) – south Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia east to southwest Sudan

- *C. s. saturatior* ([Bannerman](/source/David_Armitage_Bannerman), 1923) – west Africa from south Ghana east to Ethiopia and north Kenya

- *C. s. monteiri* ([Hartlaub](/source/Gustav_Hartlaub), 1862) – Angola and south Democratic Republic of the Congo to south Kenya and south to northeast South Africa

## Description

Specimen at Nairobi National Museum

The mosque swallow is the largest and heaviest species of African swallow, resembling a big [red-rumped swallow](/source/Red-rumped_swallow) *Cecropis daurica*. The crown, upperparts, and tail are glossy dark blue, and the lores and sides of the head are whitish forming a collar. The rump is dark rufous, while the throat and upper breast are pale rufous, shading to dark rufous on the remainder of the underparts. Very pale underwing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers. Females are similar to males but have shorter tail streamers. Juveniles are browner. Mosque swallows are 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) in length.[8]

## Distribution and habitat

The mosque swallow is found from southern [Mauritania](/source/Mauritania) and [Senegal](/source/Senegal) east to western [South Sudan](/source/South_Sudan) then south to Namibia, northern [Botswana](/source/Botswana), [Zimbabwe](/source/Zimbabwe), [Mozambique](/source/Mozambique), and north-eastern [South Africa](/source/South_Africa).[9]

In southern Africa the mosque swallow is a woodland bird, preferring dense broad-leaved woodland with [mopane](/source/Mopane) (*Colosphermum mopane*) but also [miombo](/source/Miombo) (*Brachystegia spp*), with scattered [baobabs](/source/Baobab) (*Adansonia digitata*) and leadwoods (*[Combretum imberbe](/source/Combretum_imberbe)*).[10] In West Africa it prefers open habitats such as forest clearings and savanna, and also around villages and towns.[8]

## Behaviour and ecology

The mosque swallow feeds on flying insects such as [ants](/source/Ant), [termite](/source/Termite) [alates](/source/Alate) and [flies](/source/Diptera), normally foraging 2–30 m (6 ft 7 in – 98 ft 5 in) above the ground. It is attracted to termite emergence events and bushfires when it can gather in flocks of up to 30 birds,[10] It has a slow rather falcon-like flight with a lot of gliding and often forages high above the woodland canopy in association with other [hirundines](/source/Hirundinidae) and [swifts](/source/Swift_(bird)).[8]

The mosque swallow nests either solitarily or in small groups. The nest is made of mud pellets and lined with grass and feathers. Its shape is that of a gourd and it has a long entrance tunnel attached to the side. The nest is often situated in a tree cavity, very often in a baobab, but also in or under tree branches, in buildings or road culverts. They breed all year round, with a peak of breeding activity in August–April. The clutch is 2-4 eggs.[10]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-iucn_status_11_November_2021_1-0)** BirdLife International (2016). ["*Cecropis senegalensis*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22712365/94331657). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2016** e.T22712365A94331657. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22712365A94331657.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22712365A94331657.en). Retrieved 11 November 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ITIS_2-0)** ["Cecropis senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766)"](https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=916674#null). *www.itis.gov*. Retrieved 2016-11-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-brisson_3-0)** [Brisson, Mathurin Jacques](/source/Mathurin_Jacques_Brisson) (1760). [*Ornithologie, ou, Méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs variétés*](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36011844) (in French and Latin). Vol. 2. Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche. pp. 496–498, Plate 45 fig 1. The two stars (**) at the start of the section indicates that Brisson based his description on the examination of a specimen.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-allen_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-allen_4-1) [Allen, J.A.](/source/Joel_Asaph_Allen) (1910). "Collation of Brisson's genera of birds with those of Linnaeus". *Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History*. **28**: 317–335. [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[2246/678](https://hdl.handle.net/2246%2F678).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Linnaeus, Carl](/source/Carl_Linnaeus) (1766). [*Systema naturae: per regna tria natura, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis*](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42946541) (in Latin). Vol. 1, Part 1 (12th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 345.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Boie, Friedrich](/source/Friedrich_Boie) (1826). ["Generalübersicht"](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27511177). *Isis von Oken* (in German). **19**. Col 971.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ioc_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ioc_7-1) [Gill, Frank](/source/Frank_Gill_(ornithologist)); Donsker, David, eds. (2018). ["Swallows"](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/swallows/). *World Bird List Version 8.1*. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 13 May 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-B&D_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-B&D_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-B&D_8-2) Borrow, Nik; Demey, Ron (2001). *Birds of Western Africa*. A & C Black. p. 569. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7136-3959-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7136-3959-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HBW_9-0)** ["Mosque Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis)"](https://www.hbw.com/species/mosque-swallow-cecropis-senegalensis). *HBW Alive*. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 2016-11-20.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Iziko_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Iziko_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Iziko_10-2) ["Hirundo senegalensis (Mosque swallow)"](http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/birds/hirundinidae/hirundo_senegalensis.htm). *Biodiversity Explorer*. Iziko Museums of South Africa. Retrieved 2016-11-20.

## External links

- Mosque Swallow - [Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds](https://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/525.pdf).

v t e Swallows (family: Hirundinidae) River martins (subfamily: Pseudochelidoninae · genus: Pseudochelidon) Genus Species Pseudochelidon African river martin White-eyed river martin All other swallows and martins (subfamily: Hirundininae) Genus Species Psalidoprocne (saw-wings) Square-tailed saw-wing Mountain saw-wing White-headed saw-wing Black saw-wing Fanti saw-wing Pseudhirundo Grey-rumped swallow Cheramoeca White-backed swallow Phedina Mascarene martin Phedinopsis Brazza's martin Riparia (sand martins) Brown-throated sand martin Congo sand martin Sand martin Pale martin Neophedina Banded martin Tachycineta (tree swallows) Tree swallow Violet-green swallow Golden swallow Bahama swallow Tumbes swallow Mangrove swallow White-winged swallow White-rumped swallow Chilean swallow Progne Purple martin Caribbean martin Sinaloa martin Grey-breasted martin Galápagos martin Peruvian martin Southern martin Brown-chested martin Orochelidon Brown-bellied swallow Pale-footed swallow Andean swallow Atticora White-banded swallow Black-capped swallow White-thighed swallow Pygochelidon Blue-and-white swallow Black-collared swallow Stelgidopteryx Northern rough-winged swallow Southern rough-winged swallow Alopochelidon Tawny-headed swallow Hirundo (barn swallows) Barn swallow Red-chested swallow Angola swallow Pacific swallow Welcome swallow White-throated swallow Ethiopian swallow Wire-tailed swallow White-throated blue swallow Pied-winged swallow White-tailed swallow Pearl-breasted swallow Blue swallow Black-and-rufous swallow Ptyonoprogne (crag martins) Eurasian crag martin Rock martin Dusky crag martin Pale crag martin Delichon (house martins) Common house martin Asian house martin Nepal house martin Siberian house martin Cecropis Greater striped swallow Lesser striped swallow Rufous-chested swallow Mosque swallow Red-rumped swallow Sri Lanka swallow West African swallow Striated swallow Striated swallow Petrochelidon Forest swallow Streak-throated swallow Fairy martin Tree martin American cliff swallow Red-throated cliff swallow Preuss's cliff swallow Red Sea cliff swallow South African cliff swallow Cave swallow Chestnut-collared swallow Cheramoeca White-backed swallow

Taxon identifiers Cecropis senegalensis Wikidata: Q3136315 Wikispecies: Cecropis senegalensis ADW: Cecropis_senegalensis Avibase: 9185D29DF441336D BirdLife: 22712365 BOW: mosswa2 CoL: RZV7 eBird: mosswa2 GBIF: 7342250 iNaturalist: 144797 ITIS: 916674 IUCN: 22712365 Observation.org: 76718 Open Tree of Life: 3597792 Xeno-canto: Cecropis-senegalensis Hirundo senegalensis Wikidata: Q40655501 CoL: 3M4S9 EURING: 32460 GBIF: 5230783 IRMNG: 11394602 ITIS: 560486 Open Tree of Life: 3597792

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mosque swallow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque_swallow) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque_swallow?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.