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The Tree Swallow is sparrow-sized and metallic blue or blue-green on top, and white below. Juvenile birds are brown above. They are very quick; flying at such ease makes them look very natural in the air. They produce a series of cheerful twitters. They are playful birds, sometimes seen playing with feathers in the air.
They rely on insects for their main source of food. Their highly specific nesting habits make for a difficult life. They are hole-nesters, and must fight to get into and keep woodpecker holes, which are in short supply. They also prefer to nest near water. For this reason, the Tree Swallow returns to Algonquin Highlands in early April, while ice still remains in the area. They must last the weeks before spring arrives without the supply of insects in order to get a nest hole. Late snowstorms also threaten their survival. Nests are made from grass and lined with feathers, and females lay 4 to 6 white eggs.
The flying insect season is short, the populations starting to decrease in July. For this reason the Tree Swallow leaves the area by the end of August. They gather in large groups along the coast during migration.
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TREE SWALLOW
Tachycineta bicolor
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