How do you identify a tree swallow?

Adult males are blue-green above and white below with blackish flight feathers and a thin black eye mask; females are duller with more brown in their upperparts, and juveniles are completely brown above. Juveniles and some females can show a weak, blurry gray-brown breast band.

Where are tree swallows located?

North America
Tree Swallows are easy to find in much of North America from spring through fall. Head to open fields or marshes adjacent to bodies of freshwater.

Are tree swallows rare?

It is found as far south as Tennessee in the eastern part of its range, California and New Mexico in the west, and Kansas in the centre. It occasionally breeds further south in the US, and vagrants are sometimes found in the Arctic Circle, the northern Pacific, Greenland, and Europe.

How do you tell the difference between a male and female tree swallow?

Adult males steely iridescent blue above, white below. Wing and tail feathers sooty gray. Female appearance more variable. One-year-olds retain dull brown upperparts, wing, and tail feathers, while older females share iridescent plumage of males.

What is a swallow a symbol of?

Today the symbolism of the Swallow still bears importance to sailors, and in general has become an ever-increasing symbol of good luck. For many, many years the Swallow has also been considered a symbol of the Spring awakening – the revival of life and love.

Are swallow birds aggressive?

Barn Swallows are fiercely territorial and will dive bomb anyone who gets close to their nest site. They have been known to hit people while doing this and yes, it may hurt you when it happens. But they won’t hit you on purpose as it will hurt them even more than you, birds being very fragile animals.

Do tree swallows return to the same nest every year?

Tree swallows breed between May and September. They raise one brood per year. However, they may nest near other tree swallows if nest cavities are close together. Tree swallows build their nests in late April or early May.

Do tree swallows reuse their nests?

Swallows may construct an entirely new nest or they may use old nests, building off of traces of mud where an old nest used to be. However, chicks return to the nest after fledging for several weeks before they leave the nest for good. Swallow nests are made out of mud pellets, hair, grass, and feathers.

How many times do swallows lay eggs in a season?

The breeding season for swallows lasts from March through September. They often produce two clutches per year, with a clutch size of 3-5 eggs. Eggs incubate between 13-17 days and fledge after 18-24 days. However, chicks return to the nest after fledging for several weeks before they leave the nest for good.

Where do tree swallows roost at night?

Nest Placement Tree Swallows nest in natural cavities of standing dead trees, old woodpecker cavities, or nest boxes. On occasion they nest in hollow stumps, building eaves, Wood Duck nest boxes, holes in the ground, old Cliff Swallow burrows, or other unconventional sites.

Where to find tree swallows in North America?

Tree Swallows are easy to find in much of North America from spring through fall. Head to open fields or marshes adjacent to bodies of freshwater. Scan the air for flying birds, look along utility wires and shrubs for perched birds.

How did the tree swallow get its name?

The Tree Swallow—which is most often seen in open, treeless areas—gets its name from its habit of nesting in tree cavities. They also take readily to nest boxes. Tree Swallows have helped researchers make major advances in several branches of ecology, and they are among the best-studied bird species in North America.

What kind of sounds does a tree swallow make?

Both males and females sing. Mates call to each other with the same chirps and gurgles that also appear in their songs. In addition, Tree Swallows give aggressive chatters, shrieking alarm calls, harsh distress calls, and amorous ticking sounds.

Is the tree swallow on the bird watch list?

Tree Swallow is not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. This bird’s numbers are probably most limited by available nest sites, and as people put up more nest boxes their range has been expanding, particularly southward. But boxes account for only a small fraction of Tree Swallow nest sites.