Birdfinding.info ⇒ During the breeding season, from April to August, it is reliably present at upper elevations of Alcoa Road, where it nests in the banks of the old bauxite mining pits, and at Valle Nuevo National Park, where there is a nestbox program. Somewhat less reliable at these sites when not breeding. Other sites where it can usually be found include Zapotén and La Visite National Park.
Golden Swallow
Tachycineta euchrysea
Family: Hirundinidae
Endemic to Hispaniola; apparently extirpated from Jamaica.
An uncommon, local, and declining resident of montane pine forests of the Cordillera Central, Sierra de Bahoruco, Sierra de Neiba, Massif de la Hotte, Massif de la Selle, and the northern ranges of Haiti.
The Jamaican subspecies was last reported from Cockpit Country in 1989. Systematic surveys in the 2010s yielded no sightings, indicating that the Jamaican form is likely extinct.
Identification
A green and white swallow with a shallowly forked tail and white collar that conveys a helmeted appearance. The upperparts gleam bronzy or yellowish-green in strong light.
Golden Swallow. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; May 10, 2013.) © C. Justin Proctor
Similar to the closely related Tree Swallow, which winters in small numbers on Hispaniola. Regardless of lighting, Golden Swallow can be recognized by its white collar and more deeply forked tail.
Golden Swallow, departing its nest box. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; 2012.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow, showing its helmeted appearance. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 30, 2015.) © Dax M. Román E.
Golden Swallow, perched on a nest box, dorsal view showing nearly complete white collar. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; May 2, 2013.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; April 28, 2019.) © Francisco Alba Suriel
Golden Swallow. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; April 11, 2019.) © Volker Hesse
Golden Swallow, female at nest box, showing fork in tail. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; May 6, 2013.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow, male approaching nest box. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; July 9, 2012.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow, showing dark-green coloration in low light. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; 2013.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow, female investigating nest box, and male perched at upper right. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; April 30, 2013.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow, female at nest box. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; April 30, 2013.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow, showing its helmeted appearance. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic.) © James Goetz
Golden Swallow. (Chapottin, Haiti; January 21, 2019.) © Jay McGowan
Golden Swallow, showing helmet and forked tail. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; March 31, 2017.) © Frédéric Pelsy
Golden Swallow. (Chapottin, Haiti; January 21, 2019.) © Jay McGowan
Golden Swallow. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; April 11, 2019.) © Volker Hesse
Golden Swallow. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 14, 2014.) © Paul Noakes
Golden Swallow, showing white collar and forked tail. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; July 2014.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; May 25, 2013.) © C. Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; June 2014.) © Justin Proctor
Golden Swallow. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 30, 2015.) © Dax M. Román E.
Golden Swallow, showing forked tail. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; December 28, 2013.) © Harpy-Eagle
Golden Swallow. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; July 9, 2012.) © C. Justin Proctor
Notes
Polytypic species consisting of two recognized subspecies: euchrysea (presumed extinct) and sclateri.
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable.
References
Alas & Colores: Golden Swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea), https://alasycolores.com.do/en/aves/golondrina-verde.
BirdLife International. 2016. Tachycineta euchrysea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22712086A94318591. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22712086A94318591.en. (Accessed June 28, 2019.)
eBird. 2019. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, N.Y. http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed June 28, 2019.)
Haynes-Sutton, A., A. Downer, R. Sutton, and Y.-J. Rey-Millet. 2009. A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Jamaica. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
Latta, S., C. Rimmer, A. Keith, J. Wiley, H. Raffaele, K. McFarland, and E. Fernandez. 2006. Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
Proctor, C.J., S.E. Inman, J.M. Geiger, and G.R. Graves. 2017. Last search for the Jamaican Golden Swallow (Tachycineta e. euchrysea). Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 30:69-74.
Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
Turner, A., and E. de Juana. 2019. Golden Swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea). In Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D.A. Christie, and E. de Juana, eds.). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. https://www.hbw.com/node/57702. (Accessed June 28, 2019.)