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2. Inventory Group
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae
Violet- green Swallow
Tachycineta thalassina
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
Cliff Swallow
Hirundo pyrrhonota
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Bank Swallow
Riparia ripara
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Purple Martin
Progne subis
Order Apodiformes
Family Apodidae
Black Swift
Cypeseloides niger
Vaux’s Swift
Chaetura vauxi
White-throated Swifts
Aeronautes saxatalis
Status: The Purple Martin is Red-listed and the White-throated Swift is Blue-listed. All other swallows and swifts found in British Columbia are on the provincial Yellow list (taken from the 1996 species status list).
2.1 Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
The breeding range for the Violet-Green Swallow extends from Alaska to Mexico, and west of the Great Plains (Bent 1942). Violet-Green Swallows appear to be most abundant in the vicinity of human habitations, but can also be found along mountain slopes and forested areas. The Violet-Green Swallow is usually the earliest of the migrant swallows to arrive in spring, sometimes as early as late February in the southwest corner of the province. Although these are early migrants, nesting does not usually occur in great numbers until late May (Gabrielson and Jewett 1970; Cannings et al. 1987).
Violet-Green Swallows nest in open habitat, a variety of holes, cavities and crevices, nest boxes, snags and cliffs (Brown et al. 1992). They will occasionally nest in colonies of up to 20 pairs, and also with other species such as the White-throated Swift in the Okanagan (Cannings et al. 1987).
2.2 Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
The Tree Swallow breeds throughout North America from northwestern Alaska and northern Quebec south to the southern states. Tree Swallows have been studied extensively in nest boxes, but little is known about their ecology in natural habitats (Rendell and Robertson 1989).
Tree Swallows arrive around mid to late March in the southern areas of British Columbia (Cannings et al. 1987). Nest construction can begin as early as mid April, with most of the work being done by mid-May. Most clutches are laid in mid to late May.
Tree Swallows take readily to nest boxes and many studies have been focused on nest site selection based on choice of nest boxes. Of the few studies which have looked at selection of non-artificial nest sites, the focus has been on the type of tree and size of cavity. Few studies have looked at the landscape surrounding the nest site.
In British Columbia, data from the nest record scheme showed that 46% of all Tree Swallow nests were in natural sites (woodpecker holes in nest trees and shrubs) (Erskine 1979). This proportion is probably an under-estimate since there is a bias to collecting data in anthropogenic landscapes, as compared with natural, undeveloped and/or areas less visited by people.
2.3 Cliff Swallow Hirundo pyrrhonota
In British Columbia, Cliff Swallows nest in association with human altered sites. The nests are highly friable, and require overhead protection from rain and runoff water (Erskine 1979). This swallow can nest in large colonies (up to 1000 in some areas), but the average number of nests per colony in British Columbia is 31 (Erskine 1979).
2.4 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
The Barn Swallow is probably the most recognized of the swallow group. With its deeply forked tail and reddish-brown and blue colouring, it is very common in city parks and school yards, and agricultural pastures. This species is the last swallow to arrive at its breeding site in spring, showing up in the south of the province in late April to early May.
Erskine (1979) reports that only 1% of all Canadian nest records for Barn Swallows were in natural areas (cave or cliff sites), with the rest being in (54%), or on (33%) the outside of buildings, or on other anthropogenic structures (12%). Barn Swallows build solitary mud nests, or in loose colonies inside barns, under eaves and porches of houses and other protected areas. Prior to European settlement, Barn Swallows nested primarily in caves and other protected areas.
2.5 Bank Swallow Riparia ripara
The Bank Swallow is a highly colonial species which builds its nests in the cut banks along lakes, rivers, highways, and gravel pits. Their nests are placed at the end of burrows, which they dig into the cutbanks. Colonies are not necessarily used year after year, for example, Cannings et al. (1987) report that in one year there were nine colonies along Skaha Lake supporting a total of 180 breeding pairs. The next year, there were only colonies along the same bank, yet there were 400 breeding pairs. Pairs within colonies tend to breed synchronously.
2.6 Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
The Northern Rough-winged Swallow is a relatively solitary species which will sometimes nest in small colonies. They can be found in any open habitat with banks of sand or gravel available for nesting. They arrive in southern British Columbia in the latter half of April, with egg laying probably occurring in the first week of June (Cannings et al. 1987).
2.7 Purple Martin Progne subis
The Purple Martin, a red listed species, is at the northern extent of its range in southern British Columbia. In natural settings, it nests in cavities created by woodpeckers and sapsuckers, in association with open habitat. Natural nest sites for this species however, are extremely rare with most nest sites throughout North America provided by people. In British Columbia, the population of Purple Martins is completely dependent on nest boxes and nests on southeastern Vancouver Island. British Columbia’s Purple Martins are surveyed annually, by local naturalists.
2.8 Black Swift Cypeseloides niger
Black Swifts appear in the skies of southern British Columbia in late April (Campbell et al. 1990). Although usually seen in small flocks of about 20 birds, they sometimes congregate into huge flocks of several hundred. Only two nest sites have been found in British Columbia, both on walls in steep canyons near waterfalls. Five parameters that Knorr (1961) suggests are important in this species nest site selection are presence of water, high relief, protection from terrestrial predators, darkness, and an open flyway near the nest.
2.9 Vaux’s Swift Chaetura vauxi
Vaux’s Swifts return to southern British Columbia in late March to early April, with egg laying probably beginning in the first week of June (Campbell et al. 1990).
Although greater than half of the species’ breeding population occurs in British Columbia (there are 33 breeding records), there are very few records documenting the natural nest sites of this species. Most records are from human settlements, especially in chimneys of abandoned houses. Natural nest sites are particularly difficult to find, because they are usually located inside hollow trees. Thus these birds can potentially be harmed by current forest practices of snag removal. There is concern in the Pacific Northwest that nest sites for this species may become limited.
2.10 White-throated Swifts Aeronautes saxatalis
The White-throated Swift is blue-listed in British Columbia. A recent survey of White-throated Swifts in British Columbia estimated the breeding population to be at ± 400 breeding birds (St. John 1992). The survey also revealed that two-thirds of the population nests in the Okanagan, with other nesting areas in the interior plateaus, the Similkameen Valley and in the Kootenays.
This species prefers to nest in small colonies on ledges of precipitous cliffs. Spring migration commences in early April, with egg laying probably beginning in mid June.
