Tree swallow

Tree swallow photographed in Manitoba

Tree swallows are the first swallows to return in spring, often arriving in April when there are still few insects around. The male is a deep, glossy blue-green on top and clean white underneath, and in the right light he looks like polished metal.

They nest in tree cavities and nest boxes, often near water, and a good box on a fence line can attract a pair every year. When insects are scarce, tree swallows can eat berries, which allows them to arrive earlier than other swallows. In late summer they gather in enormous flocks that swirl over marshes before heading south for the winter.

To learn more about this bird and its habitat, visit the tree swallow page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Tree swallow photographed in Manitoba, 1
  • Tree swallow photographed in Manitoba, 2
  • Tree swallows on a barbed-wire fence beside a nest box

Tree swallow Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the tree swallow in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the tree swallow nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the tree swallow in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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