Black Sawwing
Psalidoprocne pristoptera
Odd, all-black swallow with a long forked tail. Shows geographical variation: most have a dark underwing, but in some areas, there is a white or pale gray patch on the front of the underwing. Found in and over forest, plantations, and thick woodland. Usually seen in flight or perched on a dead tree. Has an odd, weak flight style that is different from that of a typical swallow. Similar to White-headed Sawwing, but has an all-dark head and a longer tail.
Identification
The black rough-winged swallow is a small swallow at 13–15 cm length with a forked tail. Its plumage is blue-glossed black. Sexes are similar, but the female has shorter outer tail feathers, and less obvious wing serrations. Juveniles are brown with little gloss, and have short tails.<p>There are many subspecies of this swallow, which some authorities may split into different species. In particular, four northeastern races, including nominate P. p. pristoptera, have conspicuous white underwing coverts (all other subspecies are green-glossed and have completely dark underwings), and may be split as the eastern rough-winged swallow or eastern saw-wing (swallow), P. orientalis. This leaves P. p. holomelaena as the black rough-winged swallow, P. holomelaena. Other subspecies are also sometimes elevated to species status, but Turner and Rose take the view that all the races of the black rough-winged swallow are, at best, incipient species.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Psalidoprocne pristoptera
- Authority
- (Rüppell, 1840)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Hirundinidae
- Genus
- Psalidoprocne
Range and habitat
The black rough-winged swallow breeds in open wooded habitats, and has a preference for wetter areas, although some races occur in mountain grassland habitat. It breeds across Africa from eastern Nigeria and Ethiopia south to Angola, northern Zimbabwe and northern Mozambique. The subspecies P. p. holomelaena breeds down south-eastern Africa from southern Mozambique to the Cape in South Africa.<p>This species is mainly resident, apart from seasonal local or altitudinal movements, but P. p. holomelaena is migratory, spending the southern winter north of the breeding range. The nominate race P. p. pristoptera of the mountains of northern Ethiopia moves south after breeding.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Black rough-winged swallows are usually seen in pairs or small groups hunting for flying insects in woodland clearings and edges, above forest, or over water. Their flight is weak and fluttering. It is a quiet species, but it gives a soft chrrp alarm call. There is also a contact call described for as chirr chirr cheeeu for P. p. holomelaena and tseeu tseu tsss-ip for orientalis.<p>The nest is constructed from grass, moss or similar materials, and built in a 30–60 cm long burrow in a vertical sand or clay bank. This is usually an old burrow of another species like a kingfisher, but may be excavated by the breeding pair. The clutch is two, sometimes three, white eggs. Only one parent, probably the female, incubates for 14–19 days to hatching, with a further 24–27 days until the young fledge.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Ochre-breasted Pipit
Anthus nattereri
Fairly distinctive for a pipit: blackish-brown above, including the wings, with bright golden feather edgings giving it a boldly streaked appearance. The chest and flanks are buff and lightly streaked. Look for the buffy-yellow eyebrow. Mostly encountered in well-preserved natural grasslands, favoring short grass areas that have regenerated after fires. Gives a series of sharp twittering notes ending with a slurred “eeeeeeeur.”
Black-headed Gonolek
Laniarius erythrogaster
Boldly patterned black-and-red bushshrike with pale eyes. The immature has pale underparts with fine dark bars. Found in thick woodland, lush scrub, and overgrown cultivation, where it usually skulks in the undergrowth. The male gives a rising, whistled “wheeo-eo,” and the female a low ratcheting call. These two are often given in a perfectly synchronized duet. Similar to Papyrus and Yellow-crowned Gonoleks, but has an all-black rather than yellow crown.
Brown Skua
Stercorarius antarcticus
Large, dark brown skua with a very robust beak. Several subspecies vary in plumage from largely dark to mottled pale brown. In flight, exhibits a broad white patch on both upperwings and underwings. Usually seen well offshore, less often towards the coast; often follows boats. Lacks the capped appearance of Great and Chilean Skuas, and has darker underwing coverts than those species. The dark morph of South Polar Skua has colder tones and a smaller bill, but field separation is difficult.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.