Violet-green Swallow

The Violet-green Swallow is one of our earliest migrants, sometimes arriving as early as
late February. It frequents the downtown core and inner harbour, flying erratically as it
feeds above trees and buildings or congregating over water to feed on emerging insects.
During the nesting season, this swallow will take advantage of any appropriate hole or
cavity, such as an old woodpecker hole or a crevice high on a cliff or a building. It is pos-
Sible to attract Violet-green Swallows to your garden with suitable nesting boxes. They
generally nest in loose colonies, so you may want to put up several boxes a few metrß
apart. Should a pair choose to nest in your yard, you can toss feathers in the air whfle
they are nest building—the birds will grab the feathers from mid-air and use them to
line their nest.
Similar Species: Tree Swallow: male lacks white face and white saddle patches. Most
other swallows: lack the combination of a dark green back and white underparts.

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