(Tachycineta bicolor)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
The upper parts are iridescent blue-black in the summer, iridescent green-black in the fall prior to migration. The underparts are white with no markings on the chin or breast. The tail is shallowly forked. |
Size |
5½″ in length 14½″ wingspan |
Voice |
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Similar Species |
Habitat |
Open areas usually near water, marshes, lake shores, beaver ponds, field fencelines |
Ecology |
Migration |
Late March to late October |
Nesting |
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Food |
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Distribution |
Occurrence |
Common to abundant migrant and breeder |
Maps |
The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
Taxonomy |
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Class |
Aves (birds) |
Order |
Passeriformes (perching birds) |
Family |
Hirundinidae (swallows and martins) |
Genus |
Tachycineta (tree swallows) |
Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Iridoprocne bicolor |
Visitor Photos |
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Cynthia Cavanaugh |
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Wayne Rasmussen |
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Urban parks host a large variety of wildlife if you really spend some time observing. |
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Maplewood, MN - Maplewood Hts Park |
Bill Reynolds |
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a clutch of Tree Swallow chicks |
Tree Swallow chicks |
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These swallows love using my Blue Bird houses that I have posted about the property. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
Tree Swallow |
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Tree Swallow |
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Tree Swallow |
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Visitor Videos |
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Cynthia Cavanaugh |
Tree Swallow 1 |
About
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 7/3/2022 Photo by Cynthia Cavanaugh http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Birds/Tree_Swallow.html |
Tree Swallow 2 |
About
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 7/3/2022 Photo by Cynthia Cavanaugh http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Birds/Tree_Swallow.html |
Other Videos |
Tree Swallow Singing |
About
Published on May 10, 2013 A tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) singing in Creston Valley, British Columbia. I added an extra clip at the end of a swallow that became very alert and animated after hearing the call of another nearby swallow. ************************************************* |
Tree Swallow Portrait |
About
Published on Aug 19, 2013 The Tree Swallow is common across North America. It can be seen in open areas near water and woods. It has dark, iridescent blue-green above, which may be greener in fall, and is clear white below. The white of cheek does not extend above the eye or higher up on rump as in Violet-green Swallow. Immature is gray-brown above, white below with a grayish diffuse breast band; similar Bank Swallow has distinct breast band. It nests in tree cavities and bird houses. The song is a cheerful series of liquid twitters. |
Tree Swallows and Eastern Bluebird |
About
Uploaded on Feb 26, 2011 Tree swallows and a male eastern bluebird from Maine. © Garth McElroy License at http://www.paya.com/videos/135226 |
Tree Swallow Monitoring in Wisconsin's Areas of Concern |
About
Published on Jul 3, 2012 www.umesc.usgs.gov/documents/fact_sheets/swallows.pdf. Scientists are monitoring pollutant levels in the tree swallow to keep track of progress as clean-up and restoration work continues in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Five Areas of Concern occur in Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Partial funding for this video was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. |
Amazing Tree Swallow Roost - A Must Watch! - (Tachycineta bicolor) |
About
Uploaded on Jan 4, 2012 Amazing Tree Swallow Roost - A Must Watch! (Tachycineta bicolor)By: Mark H. Vance Over 3 millions Tree Swallows come down to roost for the night. You don't see many videos like this one because it is very dark when they come down. It doesn't look like it, but at the end of the video it is soo dark the camera can see what I can't with my own eyes. This was in Sarasota, Florida on Jan 1st 2012 - a great day! I shot this with a Canon 7D with a 100-400mm lens. At the end I had a 50mm f/1.4 lens. http://youtube.com/markinsrq5 Mark Vance The Celery Fields - Sarasota, Florida Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/groups/218447... |
Visitor Sightings |
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Alex 8/10/2016 |
Location: Beaver lake, Saint Paul There are thousands here in the trees ever year. They are very loud and constantly make this crowish call well they perch at night. When I examined them with my flashlight they are what appears to be solid bright green? They are about the size of a ping pong ball if not smaller. If they possess any other markings it's hard to tell since they have their heads under the wing. |
Wayne Rasmussen 6/2/2016 |
Location: Maplewood Heights Park Urban parks host a large variety of wildlife if you really spend some time observing. |
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Wayne Rasmussen 5/29/2016 |
Location: Maplewood, MN - Maplewood Hts Park Wayne's World of Graphics |
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Bill Reynolds 7/14/2011 |
Location: Pennington Co. |
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Bill Reynolds 6/1/2003 |
Location: Numedal Township, Pennington Co., Minnesota a clutch of Tree Swallow chicks |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
Created: 7/1/2009 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |