Tachycineta | |
---|---|
Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Hirundinidae |
Subfamily: | Hirundininae |
Genus: |
Tachycineta Cabanis, 1850 |
Species | |
T. bicolor |
|
T. bicolor
T. thalassina
T. euchrysea
T. cyaneoviridis
T. stolzmanni
T. albilinea
T. albiventer
T. leucorrhoa
T. meyeni
Tachycineta (Greek: tachýs "fast", kīnéō "move") is a genus of birds in the swallow family. There are nine described species. Its members are restricted to the Americas.
These are slender swallows with forked tails. Most species have a metallic green back, green or blue head, and metallic blue or unglossed brown wings. All have pure white underparts, and four species have a white rump.
Tachycineta swallows are mostly at least partially migratory, with only golden and mangrove swallow being essentially resident. All the species use natural or disused cavities for nest sites.