Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) is a sleek, sky-dancing songbird that brings sparkle and motion to open fields, wetlands, and lakeshores across North America. With its iridescent blue-green back, crisp white underparts, and effortless flight, the Tree Swallow is as elegant in the air as it is perched quietly on a fencepost.

These graceful aerialists are built for speed and agility. They zip, swoop, and glide with fluid precision as they catch insects on the wing, often flying just above the water’s surface or weaving through open skies in dazzling formations. Their sharp reflexes and forked tails make them a joy to watch—nature’s own acrobats in motion.

Tree Swallows are early migrators, often arriving in the north while snow still dusts the ground. They’re among the first signs of spring, bringing their soft, twittering songs and bursts of color back to the landscape. They nest in tree cavities and birdhouses, often forming loose colonies where pairs raise their chicks in feather-lined nests.

Social and adaptable, Tree Swallows are excellent neighbors in human landscapes, frequently taking up residence in backyard nest boxes and returning to the same sites year after year. During migration, they gather in massive flocks—sometimes numbering in the thousands—swirling together at dusk in breathtaking displays before roosting for the night.

Symbolizing freedom, movement, and the quiet beauty of transition, the Tree Swallow is more than just a bird in flight—it’s a living reminder of nature’s rhythm, resilience, and grace.