Black Sawwing
NameBlack Sawwing
Common NameBlack Sawwing
Scientific NamePsalidoprocne pristoptera
FamilyHirundinidae
Wingspan (cm)30.5
Length (cm)14
Weight (g)14
Plumage DetailsUniformly glossy black plumage, sometimes with a faint blue-green sheen. The outer primary feathers have serrated edges, giving the 'sawwing' appearance, though this is difficult to observe in the field.
Vocalization / CallSoft, buzzing, or churring notes, often given in flight.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatsforest, grassland
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeWidespread across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Ethiopia south to South Africa.
Identifying Featuresentirely black plumage, deeply forked tail, aerial foraging behavior, slender body shape
Description
The Black Sawwing is a small, slender swallow-like bird characterized by its entirely glossy black plumage and deeply forked tail. It is an aerial insectivore, often seen hawking for insects over open areas and forest edges.
