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Mosque Swallow | Hirundo senegalensis
The Mosque Swallow is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Hirundinidae bird family group which includes birds such as Hirundinidae. The description for the Mosque Swallow (Latin name Hirundo senegalensis) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Hirundo senegalensis can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 525 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 759. You will find a picture of the Mosque Swallow on page 816. NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any. There have been no changes in the common name between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition. There have been no changes in the Latin name for the Mosque Swallow between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition The Mosque Swallow is known in Afrikaans as Moskeeswael. The Mosque Swallow has a height of 24 cms and weighs around 45 gms. The head is coloured blue, black while the bill is coloured black. The Hirundo senegalensis has a white coloured throat, black legs and a blue coloured back. The eyes are brown. The male Hirundo senegalensis has physical features that are slightly different from the female bird. Take note of the main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size. Colours of body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts. Head is blue, black Eyes are brown Bill is black Legs are black Throat is white Back is blue Feeding Habits ...This bird forages for food on the ground This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten . Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...The Mosque Swallow is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 2 to 4 eggs and they are coloured white. The bird builds its nest within a tree cavity just a few meters above the ground. The hole in the tree is normally reused in the next nesting season. The Mosque Swallow is mainly found in light and densely wooded forests, where there are Mopane trees. The bird is mainly found in the Savanna grasslands where it breeds and feeds. This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...This bird is usually seen in small family groups or in large flocks |
