Violet-green Swallow

Taxobox
name = Violet-green Swallow
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1

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regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Hirundinidae
genus = "Tachycineta"
species = "T. thalassina"
binomial = "Tachycineta thalassina"
binomial_authority = (Swainson, 1827, Real del Monte, Hidalgo, Mexico)The Violet-green Swallow, "Tachycineta thalassina", is a small swallow.

Adults are velvet green on their upperparts with white underparts and a forked tail; they have white patches on the side of the rump. They are somewhat similar in appearance to the Tree Swallow. In adult males, the white throat area extends behind and above the eyes; adult females are duller in colour. Immature birds are brown on the upperparts.

Their breeding habitat is semi-open areas in western North America from Alaska to Mexico. They nest in cavities in a tree or rock crevice, sometimes forming small colonies.

They migrate in flocks to Central and South America.

These birds often forage in flocks, usually flying relatively high but sometimes flying low over water. They eat insects including mosquitos, butterflies, mayflies and moths.

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

External links

* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=5328 Violet-green Swallow videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Violet-green_Swallow.html Violet-green Swallow Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6150id.html Violet-green Swallow - Tachycineta thalassina] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/violet_green_swallow_info.htm Violet-green Swallow Information] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=violet-green+swallow&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24 Violet-green Swallow photo gallery] VIREO