Tree Swallow

Description:

Dark head and topside of back, wings & tail that shimmers a beautiful dark iridescent blue in sunlight. White underside and breast. About 4 - 5 inches in height with about a 2 - 3 inch narrow tail. Flies darting about very quickly eating various insects such as mosquitos. Has a unique chirp/call.

Habitat:

A migratory bird, with summers spent in North America and over-winters in the south in such places as the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. Being cavity nesters, swallows tend to prefer areas where artificial or natural cavities are readily available to rear their young so backyards, fields and woodlands are favourites with a steady source of water to provide for their insatiable insect diet.

Notes:

We wedge plain white feathers in the cracks on our deck railing and watch them come take them for their nests. After the season is over and we look inside the bluebird nest boxes they sometimes use, the nests are full of the white feathers. Our children like to call these "killer whale birds" because of their colouration and their fast flitting about through the air, similar to the abilities to swim in this way by orcas.