Different swallow species have distinct migration patterns. Some species migrate very long distances, crossing continents and even oceans, while others have shorter migration routes. The timing of migration can also vary based on factors like climate and food availability. The Barn Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, and Tree Swallow can be seen from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast and into northern Canada and Alaska. The Northern Rough-winged Swallow is seen throughout the US and all the southern provinces of Canada. The Violet-green Swallow has a range on the western coast, from Alaska to Mexico and along the Rocky Mountains. The Cave Swallow has the smallest range and can be found along the southern perimeters of New Mexico and Texas with a small colony in southern Florida.

1. American Cliff Swallow: The Cliff Swallows make nests of mud pellets but shape it like a hollow gourd with a hole for the parents to enter and the babies to look out. Cliff Swallows nest in communities.
2. Tree Swallow: Tree Swallows have a snow-white underside and green- or blue-iridescent back. They weigh about 16.4 to 22.2 grams, or 1/2 to 3/4 ounce, and are 5 to 6 inches long. Tree Swallows have the longest intestines of any swallow, allowing them to digest berries and other plant material. Tree Swallows also are good at finding abandoned woodpecker holes and other small cavities for shelter during cold nights. They are usually first to arrive in spring and breed farther north than other species of swallows. The oldest Tree Swallow that was banded and later recaptured was 12 years 1 month old.
3. Violet-green Swallow: Violet-green Swallows live in the western states and provinces, and nest up into Alaska and the Yukon, as do Tree Swallows. The underside and flanks of the Violet-green Swallow is pure white. They're about 5 inches long. Violet-green Swallows migrate early, often in the company of Tree Swallows. The oldest known Violet-green Swallow lived 6 years 10 months.
4. Purple Martin: The Purple Martins are the biggest swallow in North America, and the only swallow with an all-black, or dark purple, underside. It's 7 1/4 to 8 1/2 inches long and weighs about 2 ounces. Martins once nested in huge colonies, but their numbers have dropped dramatically. They nest in natural cavities, gourds hollowed out for them by people, and martin houses built by people. The oldest Purple Martin to be banded and later recaptured was 13 years and 9 months old.
5. Bank Swallow: The Bank Swallows are the smallest North American swallow. It has a band across its chest like the slot of a piggy bank. It's 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches long and weighs 13 to 16 grams, or 1/2 ounce. Bank Swallows burrow to build their nests in sand and gravel banks along rivers, gravel pits, highway embankments, and other places where they can burrow into soft soil or sand. They use their beak to dig, and as they get deeper and deeper into the hole, they kick out the dirt with their feet. They nest in big colonies, sometimes with hundreds of birds. The oldest Bank Swallow to be banded and recaptured was 8 years old.
6. Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Rough-winged swallows look like miniature female martins-brown backs, a dusky brown throat and sides, and a white belly. Rough-wings nest in banks like Bank Swallows, usually in isolated pairs rather than in a big community. Their burrows are usually 9 to 28 inches long, but some are as long as 6 feet inside. The oldest known Rough-winged swallows lived to be 6 years old.
7. Cave Swallow: The Cave Swallows once lived only from Mexico south, coming into the U.S. to nest at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. Now this previously only northern Mexico population is increasing and is found in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, and north to Nebraska and up the Atlantic coast to Nova Scotia. Birders often look for them in the culverts that drain roads. The oldest known Cave Swallow lived to be 7 years old.