{"id":89172,"date":"2021-05-27T04:56:39","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T10:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=89172"},"modified":"2025-03-30T11:54:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T16:54:17","slug":"violet-green-swallow-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/27\/violet-green-swallow-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Violet-green Swallow Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I was able to take the Violet-green Swallow photos that I have been dreaming of since I first moved to Utah in 2009. I’ve seen and taken photos of Violet-green Swallows before and as recently as last week but they were always from a long distance and I was never happy with the resulting images.<\/p>\n

Click the first photo in each of the groups to view the images larger.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Violet-green Swallows Interacting<\/h2>\n<\/div>
\"Violet-green<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Violet-green<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Fighting<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Violet-green<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Two<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Male<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

It was the calls<\/span><\/a> of Violet-green Swallows that drew my eyes to where two of them were interacting near a nesting cavity. One of the birds in these photos is a male and the other is a female. I believe that the female was sending a message to the male that the nesting cavity was hers. After looking through my images she appeared to be the aggressor in this altercation. Their interactions were interesting to see and photograph and it all happened very quickly.<\/p>\n

The third photo in this group of images shows the green and violet colors that gives this species its common name well.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Male Violet-green Swallow Photos<\/h2>\n<\/div>
\"Male<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Spring<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Adult<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Male<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Violet-green<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Male<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

After the scuffling and tussling between the female and the male near the opening of the nesting cavity I focused on photographing the male or males that were guarding the nesting cavity. When other swallows flew in the male would take off and chase them away from the opening in the trunk of the tree.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Violet-green<\/span><\/div>

Violet-green Swallow male watching over a nesting cavity<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Female Violet-green Swallow Photos<\/h2>\n<\/div>
\"Female<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Female<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Female Violet-green Swallows are duller than the males. I was able to photograph this female as she guarded the entrance to the nesting cavity.<\/p>\n

The nesting cavity was high in a tree and the lighting conditions were a challenge.<\/p>\n<\/div>

More male Violet-green Swallow Photos<\/h2>\n<\/div>
\"Male<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Violet-green<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\"Adult<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"Male<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

When the female Violet-green Swallow flew off I focused on the more males that were near the nesting cavity and close to where I sat in a mobile blind photographing them. My Nikon D500 decided to have a fit about this time of the morning so some of these last 4 images were taken with it and some were taken with my Nikon D810 with the 500mm VR lens attached.<\/p>\n

About that time the action stopped and the swallows got quiet. Being in the right place at the right time gave me the opportunity to take these Violet-green Swallow photos.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Violet-green Swallow photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I was able to take the Violet-green Swallow photos that I have been dreaming of since I first moved to Utah in 2009.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1316,358,26,11808,1314],"tags":[4004,9541,4897,6577,3940,4070,4052,4122,5370,7085,4062,4069,2580,6195,4018,10452,165,4807,3470,11811,4055,4427,4076,11815,30,11812,4088],"class_list":["post-89172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-avian","category-stansbury-mountains-utah","category-tooele-county","category-utah","category-violet-green-swallows","category-west-desert-utah","tag-adult","tag-alpine-forest","tag-branch","tag-branches","tag-canyon","tag-female","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-forest","tag-guarding","tag-male","tag-mountains","tag-nesting-cavity","tag-scuffling","tag-sky","tag-sky-island-mountains","tag-spring","tag-swallow","tag-swallows","tag-tachycineta-thalassina","tag-tooele-county","tag-tree","tag-trees","tag-tussling","tag-utah-2","tag-violet-green-swallow","tag-west-desert"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ncg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":100381,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/05\/swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":89172,"position":0},"title":"Swallow Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I wanted to share swallow photos that show the six species of swallows I see and photograph in northern Utah while they are here for their nesting season.","rel":"","context":"In "Bank Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Bank Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/bank-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Violet-green Swallow adult back view, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":125851,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/25\/tree-swallows-have-migrated-into-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":89172,"position":1},"title":"Tree Swallows Have Migrated Into Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Over the weekend, I read on Facebook that Tree Swallows have migrated back into Northern Utah for their breeding season. I am so excited about that news!","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tree Swallow peeking out of a natural nesting cavity in the High Uintas, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-aspen-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6727.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-aspen-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6727.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-aspen-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6727.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-basking-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-2040.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-basking-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-2040.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-basking-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-2040.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/red-tailed-hawk-adult-basking-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-2040.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51012,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/02\/18\/with-midges-emerging-will-swallows-arrive-soon\/","url_meta":{"origin":89172,"position":3},"title":"With Midges Emerging Will Swallows Arrive Soon?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"That one midge I saw in the restroom at Bear River MBR did cause me to wonder if the swallows will show up early this year in northern Utah or will the predicted cooler weather cause them arrive at their normal time.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Barn Swallow stretching on a post, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/barn-swallow-stretching-post-mia-mcpherson-7655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/barn-swallow-stretching-post-mia-mcpherson-7655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":103085,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/06\/08\/tree-swallow-nesting-in-an-aspen\/","url_meta":{"origin":89172,"position":5},"title":"Tree Swallow Nesting In An Aspen","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"While up high in the Uinta Mountains yesterday morning I photographed this female Tree Swallow checking out a nesting cavity in a Quaking Aspen.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tree Swallow portrait at aspen nest, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Summit County, 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