Swallows (Hirundinidae)
Baby violet-green swallows: from egg to fledgling
A Violet-green Swallow lays 4–6 eggs. They hatch after 13–18 days, and the young leave the nest 16–24 days later — about 29–42 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 4–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 13–18 days
- Time in the nest
- 16–24 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 29–42 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Cavity or nest box
- Uses nest boxes
- Yes — 1 1/2 in hole
Stage by stage
- Eggs (13–18 days): 4–6 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (16–24 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season violet-green swallows mainly eat flies and midges.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young violet-green swallows are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1 per season.
When violet-green swallows nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Arizona (Apr) and latest in Alaska (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Jun–Jul |
| Alberta | Jun–Jul |
| Arizona | Apr–Jul |
| British Columbia | Jun–Jul |
| California | Apr–Jul |
| Colorado | May–Jul |
| Idaho | May–Jul |
| Montana | Jun–Jul |
| Nevada | May–Jul |
| New Mexico | May–Jul |
| Oregon | May–Jul |
| South Dakota | May–Jul |
| Utah | May–Jul |
| Washington | May–Jul |
| Wyoming | Jun–Jul |
| Yukon | Jun–Jul |
Found a baby Violet-green Swallow?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about violet-green swallows
Frequently asked
How long do baby violet-green swallows stay in the nest?
About 16–24 days after hatching. Eggs take 13–18 days to hatch, so it is roughly 29–42 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Violet-green Swallow lay?
4–6 eggs per clutch, with 1 per season.
Where do violet-green swallows nest?
Cavity or nest box.
What should I do if I find a baby Violet-green Swallow on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.