A medium-sized swallow with fairly broad pointed wings and a fairly short, slightly forked tail. Tiny, dark bill. Underparts and throat white. Head and back greenish-blue (adults) to brown (juveniles). Similar to the slightly smaller, shorter tailed, and thinner winged Violet-green Swallow, but lacks white on cheek and sides of rump. The demarcation between the dark upper face and crown and the white lower face is crisp and horizontal and the eye is entirely surrounded by black feathering. On adult, Violet-greens show white on the face up and over the eye. Some duller female Violet-greens may be mostly dark around the eye; the transition from white to dark is not crisp. Juveniles are often mistaken for the smaller Bank Swallow but have a duskier, diffuse breast band and solid sooty-brown upperparts.

Length: 15 (cm) Wingspan: 34 (cm)

Voice:

Call consists of several short chirping notes: chrit, pleat pleat, wheeit wheet chrit.

Habitat:

Usually breeds and forages in open areas near water. Nests in small cavities and bird houses.

Behavior:

Gregarious when foraging or migrating. Flies low, often skimming just over the water.

Feeding:

Diet usually consists of flying insects, but will eat seeds or berries if necessary.