Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Songbirds

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of the United States Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Northwest Territories

By family

Swallows & Martins of the United States

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The Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) is a member of the Hirundinidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 21.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Passeriformes
Family Hirundinidae Swallows, Martins
Genus Tachycineta
Species bicolor

Where it lives

Widespread

North America

Quick facts

Weight: 21.2 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Hirundinidae
Order: Passeriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Main colours Blue Green White

Male vs female

Male is clean iridescent blue-green above with white underparts; the female is duller and often extensively brownish above, especially in her first year (many retain mostly brown upperparts for a year or more before acquiring full iridescence).

Juvenile appearance

Juveniles are gray-brown above with white underparts and usually show a dusky wash or faint band across the breast.

Similar birds

Least Concern

Andean Swallow

Orochelidon andecola

Least Concern

Mascarene Martin

Phedina borbonica

Least Concern

American Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Data Deficient

Red Sea Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon perdita

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Tree Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Tree Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) is a member of the Hirundinidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA widespread.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.2 g, with a wing length of about 11.6 cm and a tail of around 5.4 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 11.7 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Tree Swallow — Call, song

Recorded by AUDEVARD Aurélien Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Tree Swallow?

The Tree Swallow is a small bird that weighs around 21.2 g.

Where does the Tree Swallow live?

The Tree Swallow is found across North America with a range covering NA widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Tree Swallow belong to?

The Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) belongs to the Hirundinidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Tree Swallow eat?

The Tree Swallow is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Tree Swallow migrate?

The Tree Swallow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Tree Swallow endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Tree Swallow make?

1 real field recording of the Tree Swallow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Tree Swallow's range?

The Tree Swallow has a mapped global range of about 11.7 million km².