Tree Swallow

Description:

Tree swallows chase after flying insects with acrobatic twists and turns over water, catching them in their mouths during flight. Tree Swallows nest in tree cavities. They also use nest boxes. They are small songbirds with long, pointed wings, tiny feet and a notched tail. Their bills are very short and flat. 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. Tree Swallows gather in large flocks .

Habitat:

These tree swallows were spotted on a small boat pier at Echo Lake at Palmetto Island State Park, Abbeville, Louisiana. They were fascinating to watch. They were all huddled together tightly and then all at once would fly out over the lake to catch insects and then would return to the pier and huddle some more. Some of them would fly out to their nest box but most returned to the pier and huddled. It was a cold 39 degree windy day and most of the tree swallows were all fluffed up to help them keep warm, and of course the huddling.