Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Audubon Illustration

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

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About the 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 ornithologist Louis Vieillot as Hirundo bicolor. It has since been moved to its current genus, Tachycineta, within which its phylogenetic placement is debated. 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 dark brown, and the legs and feet 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 gray-brown-washed breasts. The tree swallow breeds in the US and Canada.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name: Tachycineta bicolor
Family: Swallows
Order: Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the swallows family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

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