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Swallows Return to Nest

May 15, 2021
They liven up the sky like no other birds!
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Barn Swallow at nest with hungry chicks. The Barn Swallow parent has a dark blue back and reddish-orange throat, and one Barn Swallow chick has its yellow beak open, while the other Barn Swallow chick has beak closed, showing the yellow "gape" around its beak. Expand Image
© Alan MacNeil

Each spring, eight species of swallows — including this Barn Swallow — migrate north from the tropics to nest in North America. Tree Swallows and Purple Martins are especially dependent on man-made nestboxes. Tree Swallows nest over much of the continent, while Purple Martins are most prevalent east of the Rockies. Consider putting up nestboxes at your place and invite these beautiful, swift birds to be your summer companions!

BirdNote gives you the sounds of birds every day – and you get the sights as well when you follow us on Instagram: @BirdNoteRadio. 

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BirdNote® 

Swallows Return to Nest Boxes

Written by Bob Sundstrom

This is BirdNote!

[sounds of Tree Swallows]

Each spring, eight species of swallows wing north from the tropics to nest in North America. The fleet and graceful flight of swallows livens up the sky like no other birds. [sounds of Purple Martins]

Two of the eight species, Tree Swallows and Purple Martins, are especially dependent on man-made nest boxes. Tree Swallows nest over much of the continent, while Purple Martins are most prevalent east of the Rockies. The elegant, streamlined Tree Swallow measures just under six inches in length, but has a nearly 15-inch wingspan. Male Tree Swallows show deep, shiny blue above and gleaming white below. [brief song from Tree Swallow]

Purple Martins, on the other hand, are the largest swallows on the continent, 8 inches long with an 18-inch wingspan. [brief song of Purple Martin] Male martins are unmistakable – glossy blue black all over, while the females are more grayish. 

Tree Swallows favor nest boxes at fence-post height, while most Purple Martin nest boxes – which are often designed to house multiple pairs – are set 10 to 15 feet above ground. So put up nest boxes at your place and invite these beautiful, swift birds to be your summer companions. [sounds of Tree Swallows]

Thanks for listening to BirdNote. I’m Mary McCann. [sounds of Purple Martins]

BirdNote gives you the sounds of birds every day – and you get the sights as well when you follow us on Instagram: @BirdNoteRadio. 

###

Bird sounds provided by the Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Tree Swallow [40786] recorded by G.F. Budney; Purple Martin [109261] recorded by G.A. Keller. Ambient drawn from Tree Swallow track. 
BirdNote’s theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Chris Peterson
© 2015 Tune In to Nature.org May 2017/2021 Narrator: Mary McCann

ID# 050206TRSWKPLUTRES-01b    

Bob Sundstrom
Writer
Mary McCann
Narrator
Alan MacNeil
Photographer
Tags: backyard sanctuary, migration, nesting

Related Resources

Build a house for Purple Martins in the EastBuild a Tree Swallow nestboxPurple Martin - More at All About BirdsTips for managing your Purple Martin real estateAudubon Field Guide: Purple MartinAudubon Field Guide: Tree SwallowTree Swallow - More at All About BirdsCreate a nesting gourd for Purple Martins

More About These Birds

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Hirundo rustica

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