Tachycineta bicolor
Nest boxes, marshes, and open country in summer across most of the continent. No useful track.
What does a tree swallow look like?
Shiny blue-green back and a clean white belly. Tail is only slightly notched.
What do tree swallow tracks look like?
No ground trail. A blue-and-white swallow at a box over a field is the usual identification.
- No useful track
- Uses a nest box or a tree cavity
- Iridescent blue-green above, clean white below
- Not a forked tail like a barn swallow
- Whitewash at the box entrance
What does tree swallow poop look like?
Whitewash on the box and below the entrance hole. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Nest boxes, marshes, and open country in summer across most of the continent. Typical places: wetland, field. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Barn swallow identification
- Eastern bluebird identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
How do you tell a tree swallow from a barn swallow?
A tree swallow is white below and has a short tail. A barn swallow is orange below and has a long fork.
How to tell a tree swallow from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Barn swallow. Swallows do not leave a useful ground trail. Blue above, orange below, with a long forked tail.
- Eastern bluebird. No reliable ground identification. Blue above, orange on the throat and breast, white belly.
Tree swallow field marks
- No useful track
- Uses a nest box or a tree cavity
- Iridescent blue-green above, clean white below
- Not a forked tail like a barn swallow
Where the sign shows up
Nest boxes, marshes, and open country in summer across most of the continent. Typical places: wetland, field. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
No ground trail. A blue-and-white swallow at a box over a field is the usual identification. Whitewash on the box and below the entrance hole.
Common questions
How do you tell a tree swallow from a barn swallow?
A tree swallow is white below and has a short tail. A barn swallow is orange below and has a long fork.