50birds Home
 
  Bird Houses     Feeders     Martin Houses
Baths     Fountains     Chimes     Nature Shop

 

 

 

 
Tree Swallow
 

Tree Swallows, Allan Brooks, Birds of Western Canada, P.A.Taverner, 1926

 

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
Species: bicolor
La. passer  sparrow, small bird
La. forma
  form, kind, species
La. hirundo
  a swallow
Gr. takhus
  fast, swift
Gr. kinetos
  move
Gr. kinetes
  mover
La. bi
  twice
Five to six inches long. Steel blue-green crown becoming darker and shading into black on back, wings and forked tail. Snow white cheeks and undersides.

Breeds throughout most of North America from California to northern Alaska across Canada throughout the Great Lakes region, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, down the Atlantic seaboard as far as the Carolinas and somewhat less dense throughout the Mississippi Valley and upper plains. Sparse to none in the arid south. In winter, they migrate to California and the gulf coast, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America to Guatemala.

USGS Tree Swallow Map

Builds nests of grass and straw lined with feathers three to thirty feet high in natural or abandoned tree cavities and cliffs and very often in nestboxes in woodland edges, groves, farms and towns usually near streams and wetlands where rich populations of flying insects spawn.

Tree Swallow, Kathleen Davis

K. Davis

Lays about four to eight white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks. Often raise two broods per season.

Feed on flying insects and fruit.

In late summer, they form huge flocks sailing over open country and inhabiting marshes in the evenings before migrating.

Some return to the areas where they were raised and many reuse the same nest boxes.

 

Tree Swallows, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Birds of America, 1917

Louis Agassiz Fuertes

The Tree Swallow nest box (same as for Violet Green Swallow) has a 5" by 5" floor, 8" inside ceiling, 1 1/2" diameter entrance hole located 6" above the floor and ventilation openings.

 

Assembled with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes. Hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks for easy access.

Tree Swallows like nest boxes mounted on dead trees near ponds and rivers, however, they will nest in a variety of places. 

Mount on a tree trunk or post, or hang from a tree branch or under an eave between four and twenty feet high with partial sun and shade.

 Nestbox Plans for Violet Green and Tree Swallows
Tree Swallow & Violet-Green Swallow Nestbox

Place several boxes in a yard or field edge; they welcome neighbors.   They also make great neighbors for bluebirds and help chase sparrows away.

Remove the nest after the brood rearing seasons are over.

Sparrows, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and wrens may use this box.

 

Tree Swallow, R. Bruce Horsfall, A Year with the Birds, Alice E. Ball, 1916

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Extinct Animals       Endangered Wildlife      Endangered Wild Cats      Endangered Turtles      Endangered Alligators

 Extinct Birds        Endangered Birds          Birds of the World         Bird Nests         Baby Birds         Bird Art       Bats!  


 

Print Free Birdhouse Plans

 

Nest box for Violet-green Swallow & Tree Swallow             Great-crested Fllycatcher Nestbox Plans

 

Side Mounted Nestbox for Downy Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Titmice, Wrens, Chickadees and Tree Swallows             Barn Swallow Ledge

 

Barn Swallow Ledge with Gable Roof            Open Platform for Robins, Phoebes, Mourning Doves and Blue Jays

 

18 Birds that Nest on Platforms             55 Birds that Nest in Boxes

 

Birds that Nest in Bird Houses and Platforms in Cities and Towns            Nestboxes For More Thank 50 North American Birds

 

 Coloring Books        Birds        Butterflies         Flowers         Frogs         Lizards         Fish 


 Mammals     Ocean Mammals     Seals & Walrus     Wild Cats      Stone Age     Print Tips 
 
 

 

 

 50birds Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Animal T-Shirts & Apparel   



 

 

 

50birds Home


 

 

 

 


 

  Animal T-Shirts & Apparel

 50birds Home    Extinct Birds    Extinct Animals   Bats

 Coloring Books    Calendars    Coloring Book Calendars

 Bird Lover T-Shirts    Birdhouse Plans    Privacy Policy