Library #32 · B Wetland · Wave 2

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor · Hirundinidae

Glossy blue-green aerialist — loves nest boxes by the water.

At a glance

Size: 5.1–5.9 in
Wingspan: 11.8–13.8 in
Habitat: Open fields near water, nest-box trails
Diet: Flying insects; bayberries in cold snaps

Range: Breeds across Canada/northern U.S.; winters south

Nesting: Feather-lined cup in a cavity; white feathers preferred.

Coloring pose idea: Iridescent blue bird at nest box / aerial chase

Hear this bird

General call / song: Cheerful liquid twitters and chirps in flight.

Mating / display: Twittering song in flight and near the nest box; aerial pursuits.

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Play calls on All About Birds Species overview Audubon field guide

How to know it

Adult male: steely blue-green above, clean white below.
Young/females can be browner above.
Notched tail; fluid graceful flight.

Behavior

Nests in cavities and bluebird-style boxes.
Can eat berries when insects vanish in cold weather.
Forms huge premigratory roosts in late summer.

Fun facts

Lines nests with feathers — often white ones.
One of the earliest swallows to return in spring.
Great companions on nest-box trails beside bluebirds.

Companion page for the Birds Coloring Calendar series by R. J. D. B. Fact summaries are original educational text. Call playback via link to All About Birds / Cornell Lab. Re-test QR codes on a phone before final print. Not affiliated with Cornell Lab or Audubon.

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