Psalidoprocne pristoptera
The Black Saw-wing, *Psalidoprocne pristoptera*, is a striking, entirely glossy black swallow of sub-Saharan Africa, easily identified by its unique outer primary feathers. These specialized feathers feature stiff, recurved barbs along their leading edge, creating a distinctive 'saw-tooth' appearance and producing an audible whirring sound in flight. Measuring 13-15 cm in length with a weight of 10-15g, this agile aerial insectivore exhibits a deeply forked tail, common to many swallows. Whil...
Primarily found in open woodlands, forest edges, savannas, and montane grasslands, often near earth banks or cliffs for nesting. Occupies a wide altitudinal range from sea level to over 3,000 meters.
Feeds almost exclusively on flying insects, predominantly Diptera (flies), Hymenoptera (ants, wasps), and small beetles, captured through continuous aerial hawking.
A highly active diurnal bird, the Black Saw-wing spends most of its day in acrobatic flight, foraging for insects. It typically roosts communally in dense vegetation or within nesting burrows. Its foraging strategy is entirely aerial hawking, capturing insects on the wing with remarkable agility....
The Black Saw-wing boasts an extensive and somewhat fragmented distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Guinea and Sierra Leone in West Africa, through Central Africa to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the east, and southwards through much of East Africa to Angola, Zambia, and South Africa. T...
Least Concern
- The Black Saw-wing's genus name, *Psalidoprocne*, is derived from Greek words meaning "scissors" and "swallow," aptly describing its deeply forked tail and unique wing structure. - Its "saw-wing" feature comes from specialized stiff, recurved barbs on the leading edge of its outer primary feath...