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Tree swallow
The tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) is a migratory bird of the
family Hirundinidae. Found in the Americas, the tree swallow was first described in
1807 by French ornithologistLouis Vieillot as Hirundo bicolor. It has since been
moved to its current genus, Tachycineta, where its phylogenetic placement is in
debate. The tree swallow has glossy blue-green upperparts, with the exception of
the blackish wings and tail, and white underparts. The bill is black, the eyes are
dark brown, and the legs and feet are pale brown. The female is generally duller
than the male, and the first-year female has mostly brown upperparts, with some
blue feathers. Juveniles have brown upperparts, and a grey-brown-washed breast.
The tree swallow breeds in the US and Canada. It winters along southern US coasts
south, along the Gulf Coast, to Panama and the northwestern coast of South
America, and in the West Indies.

Tree swallow

At Stroud Preserve in West Chester,

Pennsylvania, US
 Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Hirundinidae

Genus: Tachycineta

Species: T. bicolor

Binomial name

Tachycineta bicolor
(Vieillot, 1808)

Range of T. bicolor Breeding

summer visitor Migration
visitor Winter visitor

Synonyms
 Hirundo bicolor Vieillot, 1808
Iridoprocne bicolor Coues, 1878
The tree swallow nests either in isolated pairs or loose groups, in both natural and
artificial cavities. Breeding can start as soon as early May, although this date is
advancing because of climate change, and it can end as late as July. This bird is
generally socially monogamous (although about 8% of males are polygynous), with
high levels of extra-pair paternity. This can benefit the male, but since the female
controls copulation, the lack of resolution on how this behaviour benefits females
makes the high level of extra-pair paternity puzzling. The female incubates
the clutch of two to eight (but usually four to seven) pure white eggs, usually for 14
to 15 days. The chicks hatch slightly asynchronously, allowing for the female to
prioritize which chicks to feed in times of food shortage. The chicks generally
fledge about 18 to 22 days after hatching. The tree swallow is sometimes
considered a model organism, due to the large amount of research done on it.
An aerial insectivore, the tree swallow forages both alone and in groups, eating
mostly insects. Molluscs, spiders, and fruit are also found in the diet. The nestlings,
like the adult, primarily eat insects, fed to it by both the male and the female.
This swallow is vulnerable to parasites, but, when on nestlings, these do little
damage. The effect of disease can become stronger as a tree swallow gets older, as
some parts of the immune system decline with age. Acquired T cell-mediated
immunity, for example, decreases with age, whereas both innate and
acquired humoral immunitydo not. Because of its large range and stable
population, the tree swallow is considered to be least concern by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature. In the US, it is protected by the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act of 1918, and in Canada by the Migratory Birds Convention Act. This
swallow is negatively affected by human activities, such as the clearing of
forests; acidified lakes can force a breeding tree swallow to go long distances to
find calcium-rich food items to feed to its chicks.
Taxonomy and etymology
Description
Distribution and habitat
Behaviour
Parasites and immunology
Status
References
External links

Last edited 22 minutes ago by Surtsicna

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