Violet-green Swallow

Tachycineta thalassina

The Violet-green Swallow is a bird of Western North America, and can be found in summer from Mexico all the way up through Alaska.  They are similar in appearance and behavior to the Tree Swallow, and sometimes associated very closely with them.

Habitat: Will use a wide variety of semi-open habitats during the summer nesting season, including canyon walls, pine forests, riparian areas, and tree groves in more open prairie.  During migration, they are often found near water (coastlines, rivers, lakes). 

Diet: Feeds almost exclusively on flying insects.

Behavior: Gregarious, often forming mixed flocks with other swallows as well as White-throated Swifts.  Feeds by catching insects in flight.

Nesting: June and July

Breeding Map: Breeding Bird Survey map

Song: A thin series of "chee-chee" notes.

Migration: Summers throughout the western part of North America, up through southern Alaska.  A few winter along the California coast, but most winter in Mexico and Central America. 

Similar Species: Tree Swallow 

Birdhouses: Will readily use man-made nest boxes.

Conservation Status: Numbers are generally stable, although they are in decline in scattered locales due to competition with House Sparrows and European Starlings, and are increasing in other areas due to large numbers of nest boxes.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Violet-green Swallow

2) Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Violet-green Swallow

3) eNature.com: Violet-green Swallow

Photo Information: June 5th, 2009 - Klamath Falls, California - Terry Sohl

Additional Photos: Click on the image chips below for more, higher-resolution photos of the Violet-green Swallow.