Violet-green Swallow
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Quick Facts
- Scientific Name: Tachycineta thalassina
- Spanish Name: Golondrina verdosa
- Family: Hirundinidae
- Known Nicknames: Violet-green Swallow, Green-backed Swallow, Copper-rumped Swallow
- Average Length: 11.4–12.7 cm / 4.5–5.0 in
- Average Weight: 10–18 g / 0.35–0.63 oz
- Wingspan: 27–30 cm / 10.6–11.8 in
- Key Feature: Iridescent green upperparts and violet rump, white underparts extending onto the cheeks
- Primary Diet: Insectivore
- Range: Western North America from Alaska south to central Mexico; winters in Central America and northern South America
- Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, canyons, and suburban areas near water
- Social Structure: Highly Social; often found in small flocks, especially during migration and foraging
- Nesting/Breeding: Tree cavities, nest boxes, and crevices in cliffs or buildings
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
- Population Trend: Stable
The Violet-green Swallow (*Tachycineta thalassina*) is a dazzling aerial acrobat of western North America, instantly recognizable by its striking, iridescent plumage. True to its name, this small swallow shimmers with a deep violet-blue on its back and crown, which beautifully contrasts with a brilliant, emerald-green rump and a pure white underside that extends up the cheeks and over the eye, creating a distinctive white mask. One of its most unique features is how the green iridescence can appear to shift to a coppery bronze in certain lights, while its deeply forked tail and swift, erratic flight make it a master of catching insects on the wing. Unlike many swallows, it often nests in crevices on vertical cliffs, in tree cavities, or even in the eaves of buildings, lining its nest with feathers for a soft, warm bed.
Fun Facts
Despite its dazzling emerald and violet iridescence, the violet-green swallow performs a quirky "moonwalk" in flight—a sudden aerial backpedal to snatch insects mid-air. It has an unusual adaptation for roosting: they often cling vertically to cliff faces or tree bark like tiny acrobats, using their sharp claws to grip rough surfaces. A unique trait is their habit of nesting in abandoned woodpecker holes or crevices, sometimes even in hanging moss, and they will fiercely dive-bomb much larger birds like crows that venture near their colony.
Habitats & Distribution
The Violet-green Swallow occupies a wide range of open and semi-open habitats across western North America, from Alaska and central Canada south through the western United States into Mexico. It is commonly found in mountainous regions, including coniferous forests, canyons, and rocky cliffs, as well as along riparian corridors, meadows, and suburban areas. The species nests in cavities, often in dead trees, rock crevices, or man-made structures like nest boxes and eaves. Its wintering range extends into the highlands of Central America, from southern Mexico through Guatemala and El Salvador to Honduras and Nicaragua, where it frequents open woodlands, agricultural clearings, and edges of tropical forests.
Behaviours & Reproduction
Violet-green Swallows are socially monogamous, typically forming pairs that last for a single breeding season, though some mate fidelity occurs across years. Males arrive first at breeding sites to establish territories and attract females through aerial displays, including swooping flights and chattering calls, often near nest cavities. These swallows are secondary cavity nesters, relying on abandoned woodpecker holes or human-made nest boxes; they do not excavate their own nests. Females construct the nest using grasses, feathers, and plant down, then lay 4 to 6 white eggs. Incubation lasts about 13 to 15 days, performed solely by the female, while the male defends the territory and brings food. Both parents feed the altricial young, which fledge after 21 to 24 days. A unique reproductive strategy is their occasional use of "cooperative breeding" where non-breeding helpers, often previous offspring, assist in feeding nestlings, though this is less common than in other swallow species. They typically raise one brood per season, but second broods are possible in warmer regions.
Diet
The Violet-green Swallow is an aerial insectivore, meaning its diet consists exclusively of insects caught in mid-flight. It feeds on a wide variety of small, flying insects including flies, mosquitoes, beetles, true bugs, ants, wasps, moths, and leafhoppers, often foraging high above the ground or over water bodies. An interesting fact about its diet is that it rarely, if ever, drinks water while flying; instead, it obtains all necessary moisture from the bodies of its prey. Additionally, these swallows are known to feed in mixed-species flocks with other swallows and swifts, and they can consume up to 60% of their body weight in insects each day during the breeding season to fuel their high metabolic demands.
Colors
The Violet-green Swallow has a striking, iridescent green back and crown that shift to a deep violet or purple rump and upper tail coverts in good light. Its underparts are pure white, extending up onto the cheeks and flanks, creating a sharp contrast. The wings and tail are a dark, sooty brown with a subtle greenish sheen, and white patches on the sides of the rump are visible in flight. This plumage, with its glossy, reflective upperparts, serves as camouflage against the bright sky when viewed from below, while the metallic colors break up its outline against foliage or water.
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