It is possible to spot green birds in Arizona if you know where to look. In this article I’ll be providing information on 5 different birds, with a significant amount of green on their body, that consider Arizona home.

• Green Heron
• Anna’s Hummingbird
• Violet Green Swallow
• Green Tailed Towhee
• Huton’s Vireo

5 Green Birds In Arizona

1. Green Heron (Butorides Virescens)

• Size: 40 – 44cm
• Weight: 230 – 250 grams
• Wingspan: 54 – 58cm

These birds can be spotted in south western Arizona all throughout the year whilst, in the south east region of the state they will typically stick around in the colder months. 

These heron’s are recognised by their darker green back and wings, maroon chest and neck, with yellow legs and a relatively long and pointy black beak. Females on the other hand are mostly brown and gray in color.

Green herons tend to spend the majority of their time around wetlands like lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, streamsides and rivers. 

As for what they consume, it includes a variety of different sources such as small fish like minnows, sunfishes, gizzard shads, crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, tadpoles, grasshoppers, snakes, earthworms, snails and other smaller rodents.

Green herons don’t have the longest of lifespans for a bird of their size, with the maximum known life expectancy said to be around 8 years.

2. Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte Anna)

• Size: 9 -11cm
• Weight: 4 – 4.5 grams
• Wingspan: 11 – 13cm

These hummingbirds can be found in Arizona all throughout the year nearer the central part of the state. As for further up north, anna’s will only stick around throughout their non-breeding fall and winter months.

Anna’s hummingbirds are recognised by their purple throat and face, purple wings and green body whilst the females are mostly green.

You’ll often find them near streamside groves, chaparral, open oak woodland, coastal sage scrub, gardens and city parks. They’re most commonly found in lowlands and lower mountain slopes, but may wander to high mountain meadows in late summer.

As for what anna’s eat, it consist mostly of nectar, insects and sugar water that can be found in feeders and considering the amount that their fly, the amount of food they consume daily is no small amount.

On average anna’s hummingbirds are known to live for around 8.5 years in wild, which is quite the long life considering these birds are as small as they are.

3. Violet Green Swallow (Tachycineta Thalassina)

• Size: 13 – 14cm
• Weight: 13 – 15 grams
• Wingspan: 26 – 28cm

Violet green swallows tend to spend their breeding season in Arizona. This starts around late March to April and ends once fall arrives.

These swallows are recognised by their darker green upper back and upper head, graysish/green wings and tail feathers along with a white face and breast. Females look very similar to the males.

Violet green swallows can be found around deciduous and coniferous forest where you’ll see them nesting within tree holes.

These swallows feed on a variety flying insects like flies, true bugs, wasps, winged ants, wild bees, beetles, moths etc. like most others. They will also eat the occasional berry or seed if they come across some.

The oldest recorded violet green swallow lived for 9 years and 1 month but, the typical lifespan for these birds will be at least a couple years less.

4. Green Tailed Towhee (Pipilo Chlorurus)

• Size: 17 – 20cm
• Weight: 27  -32 grams
• Wingspan: 23 – 27cm

These towhees can be found in Arizona all throughout the year although they will generally go south for winter and north for summer. they can also be sppotted in central Arizona year round.

Green tailed towhee are recognised by their orange mohawk like feathers on the head, green wing, green tail feathers, gray breast feathers and black beak.

these towhees inhabit montane forest and open slopes in the Great Basin, sagebrush steppes, and high desert. They also spend their time within larger mixed flocks in winter around dense mesquite areas of desert washes.

These green tailed avians tailed diet consists of insects such as beetles, crickets, and caterpillars along with seeds of weeds and grasses, berries and small fruits.

As for their lifespan, green tailed towhees are known to live for around 7 years in the wild.

5. Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo Hutton)

• Size: 12 – 13cm
• Weight: 10 – 12 grams
• Wingspan: 19 – 21cm

You’ll be able to spot Hutton’s vireo around the south east region of Arizona all throughout the year.

Hutton’s vireo are recognised by their light mossy green feathers with small streaks of dark green and white on their wings.

These tiny birds are often found in coniferous, oak, mixed forests and also inhabit stream corridors and chaparrals. Hutton’s are generally in forest that are elevated 11.8k feet above sea level.

These small green birds are known to eat mostly insects which include caterpillars, beetles, crickets, spiders, berries, small fruits and some plant galls.

Hutton’s vireo also tend to live for around 7 years in the wild.