70birds
That Nest in Birdhouses70birds
That Nest in BirdhousesToo many bird houses can drive off nesting birds, including a specific bird species we want to attract.
For most yards, select just one or two bird species that are known to nest in bird houses in that region.
More than 70 North American bird species live in nest boxes or on platforms.
See which birds live near you. Learn about those birds and how to make birdhouses for them.
Feeding birds will not attract birds to nest and raise a family in a bird house.
Nesting, egg laying birds need seclusion and are unlikely to nest in a bird house near throngs of birds flocking to bird feeders.
Put the right nest boxes in the right place.
Keep nest boxes clean.
Protect birds from pests and predators.
Violet-green Swallow
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
Species: thalassina
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. hirundo a swallow
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. takhus fast, swift
Gr. kinetos move
Gr. kinetes mover
Gr. thalassa the sea
Gr. thalassinos sea green
La. thalassinus sea green

About five inches long. Dark metallic green crown and upper parts. Glossed violet above their rump. White face patches, behind the eyes, underside and either side of their rump.

Violet-green swallows inhabit forests, mountains, farms and towns from Alaska and the Yukon throughout the western mountain states to California, Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
They migrate and winter from California and Mexico to Honduras, sometimes as far as Costa Rica and Panama.
Violet-green swallows were reported seen flying with swifts above San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta Mountains of Colombia in January 1983 (B. Whitney and R. Ridgely)
They feed in flocks, sometimes with swifts, on flying insects which they chase in aerobatic maneuvers high over forests, fields and canyons and low over ponds and lakes.
They rarely forage on the ground.

Violet-green swallows build nests of grass and feathers in natural or abandoned tree cavities in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests or in cliff crevices. Like the tree swallow, this bird readily accepts bird houses.
Females lay four or five white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about three weeks.
The Violet-green Swallow Birdhouse (same as for Tree Swallow), has a 5″ by 5″ floor, 8″ inside floor to ceiling, 1 1/2″ diameter entrance hole located 6″ above the floor and ventilation openings.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes. Secure hinged roof with shutter hooks for easy access.
Mount on a tree or post in open woodlands or hang from a tree branch or under an eave between four and twenty feet high with partial sun and shade.
Remove the nest and clean the box after the brood rearing seasons are over. Sparrows, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and wrens also may use this box.
Violet-green Swallow
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
Species: thalassina
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. hirundo a swallow
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. takhus fast, swift
Gr. kinetos move
Gr. kinetes mover
Gr. thalassa the sea
Gr. thalassinos sea green
La. thalassinus sea green

About five inches long. Dark metallic green crown and upper parts. Glossed violet above their rump. White face patches, behind the eyes, underside and either side of their rump.
USGS map shows violet-green swallows inhabit western US and Canada.

Violet-green swallows inhabit forests, mountains, farms and towns from Alaska and the Yukon throughout the western mountain states to California, Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
They migrate and winter from California and Mexico to Honduras, sometimes as far as Costa Rica and Panama.
Violet-green swallows were reported seen flying with swifts above San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta Mountains of Colombia in January 1983 (B. Whitney and R. Ridgely)
They feed in flocks, sometimes with swifts, on flying insects which they chase in aerobatic maneuvers high over forests, fields and canyons and low over ponds and lakes.
They rarely forage on the ground.

Violet-green swallows build nests of grass and feathers in natural or abandoned tree cavities in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests or in cliff crevices. Like the tree swallow, this bird readily accepts bird houses.
Females lay four or five white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about three weeks.
The Violet-green Swallow Birdhouse (same as for Tree Swallow), has a 5″ by 5″ floor, 8″ inside floor to ceiling, 1 1/2″ diameter entrance hole located 6″ above the floor and ventilation openings.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes. Secure hinged roof with shutter hooks for easy access.
Mount on a tree or post in open woodlands or hang from a tree branch or under an eave between four and twenty feet high with partial sun and shade.
Remove the nest and clean the box after the brood rearing seasons are over. Sparrows, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and wrens also may use this box.
Violet-green Swallow
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
Species: thalassina
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. hirundo a swallow
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. takhus fast, swift
Gr. kinetos move
Gr. kinetes mover
Gr. thalassa the sea
Gr. thalassinos sea green
La. thalassinus sea green
About five inches long. Dark metallic green crown and upper parts. Glossed violet above their rump. White face patches, behind the eyes, underside and either side of their rump.

Violet-green swallows inhabit forests, mountains, farms and towns from Alaska and the Yukon throughout the western mountain states to California, Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
They migrate and winter from California and Mexico to Honduras, sometimes as far as Costa Rica and Panama.

Violet-green swallows were reported seen flying with swifts above San Lorenzo ridge in the Santa Marta Mountains of Colombia in January 1983 (B. Whitney and R. Ridgely)
They feed in flocks, sometimes with swifts, on flying insects which they chase in aerobatic maneuvers high over forests, fields and canyons and low over ponds and lakes.
They rarely forage on the ground.
Violet-green swallows build nests of grass and feathers in natural or abandoned tree cavities in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests or in cliff crevices. Like the tree swallow, this bird readily accepts bird houses.
Females lay four or five white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about three weeks.
The Violet-green Swallow Birdhouse (same as for Tree Swallow), has a 5″ by 5″ floor, 8″ inside floor to ceiling, 1 1/2″ diameter entrance hole located 6″ above the floor and ventilation openings.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes. Secure hinged roof with shutter hooks for easy access.
Mount on a tree or post in open woodlands or hang from a tree branch or under an eave between four and twenty feet high with partial sun and shade.
Remove the nest and clean the box after the brood rearing seasons are over.
Sparrows, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and wrens also may use this box.
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home