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Western Bluebird Nest Box Pictures Violet-green Swallow Nest Box Pictures Wildlife Observatory (live web cams) |
Size:
5-51/2" Description: Adults
are dark, shiny green and violet above with clear white below.
Note the white patches on rump near tail. Males have white on
the face which encircles the eye with a green and violet head. Similar species:
The tree swallow,Tachycineta bicolor, does not have the
white patches on rump near tail. They do not have white encircling
the eye area. Their coloring is generally a steel blue-green
above. Habitat: Open
forests, foothill woods, mountains, canyons, cliffs, towns. Range: Breeds
from central Alaska, west Canada, south locally to mountains
of Mexico. Winters in California, Mexico and central America.
Song: A thin
"chip" and a rapid "chit-chit-chit-wheet,wheet." Diet: Mostly
flying insects. Nest: May colonize or nest singly in a variety of places: natural cavities, old woodpecker holes, live or dead trees, holes in cliffs and houses, birdhouses. Built with straw, dry grasses and heavily lined with feathers. Eggs: 4-5 or
sometimes 6. Oval, white with no markings. Incubation: 13-14 days. 1 brood. Notes: Author (S. Lubin) has observed female added feathers to nest after eggs, especially during incubation time. Most facts taken from Peterson's Western Birds and Western Birds' Nest Field Guides. |
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Detailed Observations of James Reserve Nest Box #31 Violet-green Swallow Nest June 30, 2000 One Hour Observation Notes: 2:04:00 pm: Female returned to nest box to feed nestlings. 2:08:13 pm: Female left nest box. 2:12:06 pm: Female returned to feed nestlings. 2:12:15 pm: Female left nest box. 2:13:30 pm: Female returned to nest box, fed nestlings and then broods (to sit upon) nestlings. 2:14:10 pm: Male entered nest box to feed nestlings and female left nest box. Male quickly exited nest box after feeding. 2:18:38 pm: Female returned to nest box to feed nestlings and broods. 2:19:43 pm: Female left nest box. 2:23:40 pm: Male entered nest box to feed nestlings while female is still gone. 2:25:10 pm: Female returns to feed nestlings and then broods. 2:33:05 pm: Female pokes her head out of entry hole for a few seconds and then leaves nest box. 2:38:16 pm: Female returns to feed nestlings and then broods. 2:39:46 pm: Male enters nest box to feed nestlings and female leaves nest box. 2:43:18 pm: Female returns to feed nestlings and brood nestlings. 2:45:58 pm: Male returns to feed nestlings and female leaves nest box. 2:51:03 pm: Female returns to feed nestling then leaves immediately. 2:52:11 pm: Male returns to feed nestlings and then leaves. Female has not returned yet. 2:53:06 pm: Female returns to feed nestlings and then leaves immediately. 2:59:54 pm: Female returns to feed and brood nestlings. 3:01:20 pm: Female pokes her head out of hole and then sits back upon the nestlings. 3:04:00 pm: Female still brooding nestlings. |
