The Tree Swallow

Written By: William McReynolds - Highlands Plateau Audubon Society | Issue: 2020/04 - April

The Tree Swallow, a radiant presence in field and sky, is a migratory bird that historically has returned to our area in May.   

With global warming, it’s becoming an April nester on the Plateau. Swallows have another association with April and that is the fact that the 1957 award-winning vinyl recording “April Love” by Pat Boone had on its B side the popular song “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano.” 

All the mission bells will ring

The chapel choir will sing

The happiness you’ll bring

Will live in my memory

When the swallows come back to Capistrano

That’s the day I pray that you’ll come back to me

Lovely, the promised return of the longed-for sweetheart. By this artful contrivance, then, swallows are harbingers of spring love. Capistrano swallows are Cliff Swallows. Our local iridescent blue and green swallows are Tree Swallows.

Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are cavity nesters and will readily move into the right-sized nest box (fully specified at www.audubon.org). They often perch on and around their nest boxes, landing on nearby fences and wires as pictured in this month’s photograph. They are highflying acrobats whose winter flocks number in the hundreds of thousands and form great fluid vortices in the sky before swooping down to roost at night. Because they are most visible on the wing and can make such a spectacular sight in the sky, the collective noun for a flock of swallows is a “flight” (of swallows). 

These skilled aerialists feed mostly in flight on flying insects and closer to ground on berries, especially bayberries. Their habitat is open fields near water or wetlands. They are widespread across North America, breeding during summer months in the northern U.S., Canada and Alaska and wintering on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts on down into Mexico. 

Their nests are built mostly by the female of grass, moss, pine needles, weeds and feathers. Four to seven  eggs hatch in 14 or 15 days and the gaping beaks are filled by both parents. Nestlings fledge 18-22 days after hatching. 

The Tree Swallow’s song has been described as being a three-part vocalization of repeating chips, whines and gurgles. Sibley describes the call as “liquid chirping or twittering.” They are more likely to be seen than heard.

Happy April birding and warm wishes for April swallows from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society.

The Highlands Plateau Audubon Society, focused on enjoying and preserving birds and their habitats, is a Chapter of the National Audubon Society and a 501(c)(3) organization. For information on all our activities and membership, please visit highlandsaudubonsociety.org .

by William McReynolds,

Highlands Plateau Audubon Society