Nesting Tree Swallows

Tree Swallows are cavity nesters and as such prefer old trees or bird houses to build their nests. Breeding starts in early May and ends in late July. The female performs the job of nest building and incubation but both parents feed the young. Their diet consists mainly of small flying insects caught on the wing. By late July tree swallows leave their breeding grounds and form large flocks before migration. They may winter in the southern US and/or the Caribbean. Globally the breeding population is estimated to be around 20 million and is considered of low conservation concern.

[@CurlyWillowNaturePhotography]

This is beautiful! I have recently set up a homemade Eastern Bluebird nest box in my forested backyard. We have like 30 species of birds is our yard. But it doesn't look anything near as beautiful as what you have there! Keep up the good work!

[@footfault1941]

An excellent footage. Nice work by cameraman & swallow! Good to see several nest posts built & used. Thanks for an elaborate job!

[@peterkrausse199]

Such cute birds. Love your video ...uschi

[@Jhossack11]

This is the pinnacle of what the internet can deliver!

[@ilknurtuncer1712]

💕

[@NicholeStevens-im1xn]

Love this! I’ve been watching all of this for the past month. Young couple late start. Just fledged 2 today 2 still in the box. Love tree swallows! ☺️

[@montymartin3978]

Why are you filming the young with the door open?

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Thank for asking this I am happy to clear that up for you. As you can see these were fully grown chicks ready to leave the nest. In fact it was the end of the season and most boxes nearby were already empty. So for these fledglings it was just a matter of a few more hours before they would have flown out of there anyway. The door was open for about 10 minutes and the parents continued to feed them. At any other earlier stage I wouldn't have dared to do this.The footage of eggs and hatchlings was filmed with a GoPro build into the nest box before the season and then operated remotely. I have filmed birds for many years and never lost just one. I understand from your perspective it may look somewhat daring. Rest assured the birds were fine. Gerry

[@yes350yes]

Like others would rather listen to the birds and not be drowned out by the unnecessary background music.

[@sherry9987]

Do you have one without music I want to listen to the beautiful bird not covered up with music?

[@M00Nature]

I am having a bad time with ants in my tree swallow boxes this year. Has anyone ever had hundreds of small ants bringing their eggs or larvae into the tree swallow nesting material before? If you have, what did you do? Thank you.

[@geraldkrausse6311]

Martha, first thanks for visiting me. I never had that problem, did the ants show up after the nesting season?. Your best solution may be to get a new box. I sometimes get ants in my hummer feeder and that is because there is sweet stuff in there. I simply refresh the content clean it out and they stay away, at least for a while.

[@M00Nature]

Hundreds of ants are coming up into the nest box bringing their eggs and larvae at a time when the swallow young are in the nest! This is happening right now, this spring. I’ve been using diatomaceous earth at base of pole and a ring of petroleum jelly just above that in a place where the swallows would not come into contact with it. Still, the ants keep coming and I am afraid they will either cause the parents to abandon the young or the young may try to leave prematurely due to ants crawling on them. I have several tree swallow boxes with this problem this year due to a rainy spring. Some of the boxes are old and some are brand new this year. Very upsetting.

[@geraldkrausse6311]

@@M00Nature Don't know what to tell you Martha. Connect with your local bird store maybe they have a solution for you. Good luck, Gerry