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Tachycineta bicolor

(Vieillot, 1808)

Tree Swallow

G5Secure Found in 225 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101167
Element CodeABPAU03010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyHirundinidae
GenusTachycineta
Synonyms
Iridoprocne bicolor
Other Common Names
Golondrina Bicolor (ES) Hirondelle bicolore (FR) tree swallow (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Sometimes placed in the genus IRIDOPROCNE (AOU 1983). See Sheldon and Winkler (1993) for information on intergeneric phylogenetic relationships of Hirundininae based on DNA-DNA hybridization.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-10
Change Date1996-12-02
Range Extent Comments
BREEDS: western Alaska to Newfoundland, south to southern California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, northeastern Louisiana, western Mississippi, Tennessee and North Carolina, casually to southern states. Range has expanded in southeastern U.S. in recent decades, perhaps facilitated by land clearing, impoundments, beaver reintroduction, and use of bluebird nest boxes (Lee 1993). WINTERS: primarily from southern California and extreme southern U.S. through Mexico to Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, sporatically to Panama; Bahamas and Greater Antilles (Puerto Rico: rare), rarely to northern South America (Ridgely and Tudor 1989).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Open situations near water, including streams, lakes, ponds, marshes and coastal regions (AOU 1983); savanna, pastures, etc. Nests usually near water in a natural tree cavity or abandoned woodpecker hole, less frequently in open woodland away from water. Also nests in bird boxes or in a crevice in a building. Territoriality may limit use of suitable nest sites. Tends to return to same nest site in subsequent years if reproduction successful; first-year breeders return to nest usually within 100 km or less of natal site (Turner and Rose 1989).

Ecology

Many may congregate where food abundant or in roosts when weather cold. When not breeding, flocks may contain 1000s of individuals.

Reproduction

Egg dates: late April-late June in south, early May to mid-June in north. Clutch size usually is 4-6. Incubation, typically by fenale, lasts 13-16 days. Altricial young are tended by both sexes, leave nest 16-24 days after hatching (Terres 1980), receive little care after that. Inclement weather and resulting scarcity of food may result in high nestling mortality in some years. In Ontario, productivity was reduced near experimentally acidified lakes (St. Louis and Barlow, 1993, Can. J. Zool. 71:1090-1097). Generally monogamous, but sometimes polygynous if food is superabundant. Nests alone or in loose colony.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSavannaGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchardAerial
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDRiparianAerial
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5B
ProvinceRankNative
Yukon TerritoryS4BYes
ManitobaS5BYes
NunavutSUBYes
New BrunswickS4BYes
QuebecS4BYes
British ColumbiaS5BYes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
SaskatchewanS5BYes
Prince Edward IslandS3BYes
LabradorS5BYes
AlbertaS5BYes
Nova ScotiaS4BYes
OntarioS4BYes
Island of NewfoundlandS4B,SUMYes
United StatesN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
MissouriSNRBYes
ArizonaS3Yes
MarylandS4BYes
PennsylvaniaS5BYes
VirginiaS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
TennesseeS4Yes
MontanaS5BYes
KansasS2BYes
ConnecticutS5BYes
AlaskaS5BYes
IndianaS4BYes
South CarolinaS4Yes
IdahoS5BYes
LouisianaS5NYes
MichiganS5Yes
UtahS4BYes
VermontS5BYes
MaineS5BYes
IowaS5B,S5NYes
NebraskaSNRNYes
WisconsinS5BYes
FloridaSNRNYes
WyomingS5B,S5NYes
ArkansasS4B,S5NYes
ColoradoS5Yes
OhioS5Yes
OklahomaS2NYes
TexasS3B,S4NYes
New HampshireS5BYes
MassachusettsS5BYes
NevadaS4B,S5MYes
New MexicoS3B,S4NYes
New YorkS5BYes
South DakotaS4BYes
MississippiSNAYes
Navajo NationS2BYes
New JerseyS4B,S4NYes
Rhode IslandS5BYes
KentuckyS3BYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
North DakotaSNRBYes
West VirginiaS5BYes
IllinoisS5Yes
DelawareS5BYes
WashingtonS5BYes
North CarolinaS3B,S4NYes
OregonS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
District of ColumbiaS1BYes
AlabamaS2B,S5NYes
Roadless Areas (225)
Alaska (25)
AreaForestAcres
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Douglas IslandTongass National Forest28,065
GravinaTongass National Forest37,381
HyderTongass National Forest121,723
KartaTongass National Forest52,117
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
LindenbergTongass National Forest25,855
MadanTongass National Forest68,553
Mansfield PeninsulaTongass National Forest54,991
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
RevillaTongass National Forest29,298
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
Taku-SnettishamTongass National Forest664,928
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
California (27)
AreaForestAcres
Bucks LakePlumas National Forest680
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
Caples CreekEldorado National Forest17,854
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Cub CreekLassen National Forest8,643
DardanellesEldorado National Forest8,110
East YubaTahoe National Forest17,968
Excelsior (CA)Inyo National Forest45,607
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
Horse Mdw.Inyo National Forest5,687
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
Middle YubaTahoe National Forest7,379
Mt. OlsenInyo National Forest2,161
Mystic (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest836
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
PyramidEldorado National Forest24,347
Reister CanyonMendocino National Forest5,897
SoldierModoc National Forest10,102
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
Colorado (5)
AreaForestAcres
Bristol HeadRio Grande NF46,087
Comanche Peak Adjacent AreaArapaho & Roosevelt NFs44,158
Dome PeakRoutt NF35,716
HermosaSan Juan NF148,103
Long ParkRoutt NF42,100
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Idaho (9)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
HoodooNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest153,868
NeedlesPayette National Forest131,279
PalisadesCaribou-Targhee National Forest122,002
Peace RockBoise National Forest191,734
Pioneer MountainsSalmon-Challis National Forest172,460
Pioneer MountainsSawtooth National Forest119,563
SeceshPayette National Forest248,088
Montana (38)
AreaForestAcres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLolo National Forest118,485
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLewis and Clark National Forest344,022
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanHelena National Forest51,360
BeartoothGallatin National Forest5,285
Big LogHelena National Forest8,954
Big Snowy Mountains WsaLewis and Clark National Forest88,003
Bmss Ra 1485Flathead National Forest334,275
BridgerGallatin National Forest45,059
Buckhorn Ridge (MT)Kootenai National Forest34,716
Burnt MountainCuster National Forest10,698
Cabin Creek Wildlife Management Area OcdGallatin National Forest35,048
Cabinet Face East #671Kootenai National Forest50,326
Cube Iron - SilcoxLolo National Forest36,998
Devils TowerHelena National Forest7,144
Electric PeakBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest17,997
Electric PeakHelena National Forest27,872
Fishtail SaddlebackCuster National Forest16,359
Freezeout MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest97,305
Gallatin FringeGallatin National Forest51,571
Government Mountain #673Kootenai National Forest10,090
HoodooLolo National Forest105,162
Hyalite - Porcupine - Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study AreaGallatin National Forest143,991
LionheadGallatin National Forest33,549
MadisonGallatin National Forest127,859
Middle Fork Judith WsaLewis and Clark National Forest81,131
Middle Mtn. / Tobacco RootsBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest96,487
Mt. Gmt Area HCuster National Forest1,335
Mt. Hefty Ra 1481Flathead National Forest12,938
North AbsarokaCuster National Forest21,063
North AbsarokaGallatin National Forest159,075
North Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest52,227
ReefGallatin National Forest2,500
Republic MountainGallatin National Forest836
Scotchman Peaks (MT)Kootenai National Forest53,909
Selway - Bitterroot (01067)Bitterroot National Forest114,953
Silver KingBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest64,289
Silver KingLolo National Forest12,816
West Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest133,563
Nevada (7)
AreaForestAcres
Bunker HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest27,569
Chineese Camp (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,207
Copper Mtns.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest31,945
Jarbidge - Coon CkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest866
Mystic (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,644
Pine Grove SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest88,945
Toiyabe RangeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest99,225
New Hampshire (6)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (3)
AreaForestAcres
Columbine - Hondo Wilderness Study AreaCarson National Forest43,739
Frisco BoxGila National Forest38,979
Latir PeakCarson National Forest3,573
North Carolina (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
North Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ponderosa PineDakota Prairie Grasslands7,471
Oregon (18)
AreaForestAcres
BearwallowsDeschutes National Forest7,317
Bend WatershedDeschutes National Forest14,829
Crane MountainFremont National Forest23,096
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
HuckleberryWallowa-Whitman National Forest11,238
Hurricane CreekWallowa-Whitman National Forest1,606
Limpy RockUmpqua National Forest6,782
Maiden PeakWillamette National Forest9,627
Maiden PeakDeschutes National Forest26,432
Mt. JeffersonDeschutes National Forest2,282
Mt. BaileyUmpqua National Forest18,401
Sky Lakes AWinema National Forest3,940
Sky Lakes BWinema National Forest9,615
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Twin MountainWallowa-Whitman National Forest58,533
Waldo - FujiWillamette National Forest15,273
Waldo - LakeWillamette National Forest2,993
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Utah (17)
AreaForestAcres
418001Uinta National Forest5,697
418003Uinta National Forest10,912
418012Uinta National Forest25,758
FishhookDixie National Forest12,959
Fishlake MountainFishlake National Forest25,217
High Uintas (UT)Wasatch-Cache National Forest102,398
Hilgard MountainFishlake National Forest28,389
HogsbackWasatch-Cache National Forest7,936
LakesWasatch-Cache National Forest121,967
Little CreekFishlake National Forest11,479
Mt. AireWasatch-Cache National Forest9,681
Mt. OlympusWasatch-Cache National Forest9,982
NoblettsWasatch-Cache National Forest3,116
Steves MountainFishlake National Forest22,649
Stump CreekCaribou National Forest355
Upper South ForkWasatch-Cache National Forest16,811
WellsvilleWasatch-Cache National Forest1,717
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Virginia (9)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
North Fork PoundJefferson National Forest4,757
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
Washington (14)
AreaForestAcres
Blue SlideWenatchee National Forest17,505
Boulder RiverMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest32,563
EntiatWenatchee National Forest72,617
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Glacier Peak KMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest47,269
Higgins MountainMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest13,185
Long SwampOkanogan National Forest66,344
Madison CreekOlympic National Forest1,223
Pasayten RimOkanogan National Forest17,074
Rock CreekWenatchee National Forest32,239
SawtoothOkanogan National Forest122,194
South QuinaultOlympic National Forest11,081
TaneumWenatchee National Forest26,140
West AdamsGifford Pinchot National Forest2,238
West Virginia (7)
AreaForestAcres
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
Wyoming (30)
AreaForestAcres
Bear RocksBighorn National Forest25,023
Beartooth Proposed WildernessShoshone National Forest16,837
Cloud Peak ContiguousBighorn National Forest113,757
Grayback RidgeBridger-Teton National Forest295,113
Gros Ventre MountainsBridger-Teton National Forest106,418
Hideout CreekBighorn National Forest10,096
Horse Creek MesaBighorn National Forest77,808
Labonte CanyonMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest16,281
Leigh CreekBighorn National Forest19,180
Little BighornBighorn National Forest133,949
Middle ForkMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest13,238
Monument RidgeBridger-Teton National Forest17,720
Munger MountainBridger-Teton National Forest12,827
Pacific Creek - Blackrock CreekBridger-Teton National Forest24,658
PalisadesTarghee National Forest1,121
Phillips RidgeBridger-Teton National Forest10,108
ReefShoshone National Forest16,817
Rock CreekBighorn National Forest48,657
Salt River RangeBridger-Teton National Forest235,661
Sheep MountainMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest17,626
South Beartooth HighwayShoshone National Forest105,570
Spread Creek - Gros Ventre RiverBridger-Teton National Forest166,097
Teton Corridor TrailheadsBridger-Teton National Forest286
Walker PrairieBighorn National Forest62,434
Wapiti Valley NorthShoshone National Forest18,345
Wapiti Valley SouthShoshone National Forest43,517
West Slope TetonsTarghee National Forest47,448
West Slope WindsBridger-Teton National Forest143,252
Wilderness Study AreaTarghee National Forest51,961
Windy MountainShoshone National Forest31,283
References (38)
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