Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
Overview
Description
The violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) is a small North American passerine bird in the swallow family. These aerial insectivores are distributed along the west coast from Alaska to Mexico, extending as far east as Montana and Texas. With an appearance very similar to the tree swallow, these individuals can be identified by the white rump side-patches that appear to separate their green back and purple tail. Violet-green swallows are secondary cavity nesters, found in a number of habitats including deciduous and coniferous forest. In addition to nesting in tree holes within these habitats, they are also widely observed nesting in the cracks of large cliffs.1
Taxonomy
Passeriformes > Hirundinidae (Swallows) > Martins and Swallows
Sightings
Relevant Sightings
- 03-03-2024 - California, United States (First Sighting)
- 06-01-2025 - California, United States (Last Sighting)
Places Seen
- Arizona, United States
- California, United States
- Ciudad de México, Mexico
Media
Photographs
No photographs available.
Audio Recordings
No audio recordings available.