How to Attract Tree Swallow to Your Yard
How to attract Tree Swallow to your yard — the habitat, water and plantings that bring them in (they aren't a seed-feeder bird), plus nesting help.
Want to bring Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) to your yard? Here is the honest, data-backed version — the feeders and food they actually use, whether they will take a nest box, and the habitat that keeps them coming back. Every recommendation is drawn from real bird-science sources (the Cornell Lab, Audubon and their peers), not guesswork.
Does Tree Swallow visit feeders?
Tree Swallow does not typically come to seed feeders. Rather than a feeder, the way to attract it is the right habitat, water and plantings — see below.
Will Tree Swallow use a nest box?
Yes — Tree Swallow is a cavity nester that will take a correctly-sized nest box. Use these NestWatch dimensions (the entrance-hole size is what keeps larger competitors out):
| Entrance hole | 1 3/8 inches |
|---|---|
| Floor (inside) | 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 |
| Box height | 9 (inside depth) |
| Mounting height | 5-6 feet |
Give the box a rough or grooved interior below the hole so chicks can climb out, ventilation and drainage holes, and no outside perch (perches only help predators and competitors).
How to attract Tree Swallow to your yard
Aerial insectivore that catches flying insects on the wing and does not use seed feeders; attract it with housing and habitat instead. It readily takes nest boxes and prefers open fields, marshes, and shorelines near water. Mount boxes in the open near a pond, marsh, or field (entrance facing south or east), with a predator baffle. Offering crushed eggshell in spring is a documented calcium supplement for laying females (Cornell/NestWatch).
See it near you
For the full profile — photos, sounds, range and ID — see the Tree Swallow species page. To find where it is being reported right now, use Birds Near You.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tree Swallow come to bird feeders?
Not usually — Tree Swallow is not a typical seed-feeder visitor. Attract it with the right habitat, water and plantings instead.
Will Tree Swallow use a nest box?
Yes. Tree Swallow is a cavity nester that will use a box with a 1 3/8 inch entrance hole (see the dimensions on this page).
