Showing posts with label Tree Swallow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tree Swallow. Show all posts
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Sunday, December 3, 2023
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Saturday, July 3, 2021
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Friday, August 31, 2018
Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Tree Swallow
https://phys.org/news/2017-11-birds.html
These common birds nest in nestboxes or tree cavities over water or in open fields, where they will also forage for insects or berries. They are the only swallows that can eat berries and seeds over a lengthy time period, which is why they can overwinter in the Middle Atlantic states. They are found nearly everywhere there are large open populations of insects.
Like Purple Martins, Tree Swallows hunt in flight and pull insects from the air. They will hunt over marshes in groups, then roost communally at night. They breed in colonies where nest sites are available and associate with other swallow species. Their song is a simple gurgle.
They prefer cavities in dead trees or snags, as long as it is over or near water. The female builds a cup nest and usually lines it with feathers for her four to six eggs. The male will watch the eggs, but he will not incubate them. Both sexes will feed the young.
Tree Swallow
Red Slough, 2016
These songbirds are usually on the breed grounds between March and May. Fall migration begins in July or August, with peaks in September or October.
A recent study shows that birds in agricultural areas are working harder to capture preferred prey. Due to preferred food over wetlands and insecticide use, it was suspected that they could be shifting over to terrestrial protein. That turned out not to be the case, for agricultural resident birds tended to weigh less overall. Diet quality was much better in unadultered grassland as opposed to insecticide laden cropland.
Tree Swallows usually nest in the same area each year, but they may disperse if the nesting year is poor. The male will attack the female during courtship, and she may wing-flutter to encourage subsequent behavior. The male will hover over the female, and he will stand upon her wings to make cloacal contact, which holding her neck feathers in his bill. Then he will bring her to the nest site, where they will raise and tend young. She is dependent upon food sources and the weather to determine when she will begin laying eggs.
Diet is mostly flies, but they will also take seeds, berries and mollusks.
Genetics and Tree Swallows:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/11/an-inside-look-at-tree-swallow-research.html
Tree Swallows and the Birds of McCurtain County:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-birds-of-mccurtain-county-oklahoma.html
Like Purple Martins, Tree Swallows hunt in flight and pull insects from the air. They will hunt over marshes in groups, then roost communally at night. They breed in colonies where nest sites are available and associate with other swallow species. Their song is a simple gurgle.
They prefer cavities in dead trees or snags, as long as it is over or near water. The female builds a cup nest and usually lines it with feathers for her four to six eggs. The male will watch the eggs, but he will not incubate them. Both sexes will feed the young.
Tree Swallow
Red Slough, 2016
These songbirds are usually on the breed grounds between March and May. Fall migration begins in July or August, with peaks in September or October.
A recent study shows that birds in agricultural areas are working harder to capture preferred prey. Due to preferred food over wetlands and insecticide use, it was suspected that they could be shifting over to terrestrial protein. That turned out not to be the case, for agricultural resident birds tended to weigh less overall. Diet quality was much better in unadultered grassland as opposed to insecticide laden cropland.
Tree Swallows usually nest in the same area each year, but they may disperse if the nesting year is poor. The male will attack the female during courtship, and she may wing-flutter to encourage subsequent behavior. The male will hover over the female, and he will stand upon her wings to make cloacal contact, which holding her neck feathers in his bill. Then he will bring her to the nest site, where they will raise and tend young. She is dependent upon food sources and the weather to determine when she will begin laying eggs.
Diet is mostly flies, but they will also take seeds, berries and mollusks.
Genetics and Tree Swallows:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/11/an-inside-look-at-tree-swallow-research.html
Tree Swallows and the Birds of McCurtain County:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-birds-of-mccurtain-county-oklahoma.html
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
The Birds of McCurtain County, Oklahoma, Including the Endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Tree Swallow
Carolina Wren
Great-tailed Grackle
Prothonotary Warbler
King Rail
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Broad-winged Hawk
Yellow-breasted Chat
White Ibis
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
American Alligator
Tree Swallow
May 6 through May 10, 2016
These birds and the American alligator all hail from McCurtain County, Oklahoma, which is
in the southeast part of the state, just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Arkansas border. This trip
had very strong possibilities for two of some of the rarest birds of the state, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Swainson's Warbler, both of which were seen. However, I have no photo of the warbler. I do hope to redeem myself with the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, which is rare all over the country, as well as an endangered species.
Also included in this package, is the King Rail, which is uncommon and local in the southern states. Even more rarely, it will go quite far north, mostly in the central part of the country and the northeast
states.
McCurtain County also hosts a fairly sizable and diverse warbler population, though a good part of it is just temporary. Most of these warblers were observed at Red Slough, as well as a few in Little River, most notably of course, the Swainson's Warbler.
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker was located in the McCurtain County Wilderness Area, and my knowledge on this bird was increased by being in the field with it as well as having excellent instruction through the Oklahoma Forestry Service, namely Clay Barnes, who I definitely hope to see
again, and gain additional knowledge through the state and the national wildlife refuges, all who do
a superb job in keeping our wildlife thriving. I have seen naked nestling Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, as well as the eggs.
This is an experience that I will not soon forget, and I hope that you also enjoy what is here as seen through my eyes.
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