Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Introduction

A stocky aerial insectivore that more resembles a martin than a swallow. Tree Swallow breeds widely across North America and is an extremely rare visitor to Britain.

Added to the British List on the basis of an individual found hawking insects over Porthellick Pool, Isles of Scilly in 1990. The next record came just over a decade later at the other end of the Britain – a bird on Unst, Shetland in May 2002.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

21g

Seasonality

BTO Records

9 records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Isles of Scilly, 1990

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution.

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

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This species has been too rarely reported to BirdTrack during 2011–22 to properly assess seasonality.

Movement

Information about Tree Swallow movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Tree Swallow, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Tree Swallow

Classification and Codes

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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Scientific name: Tachycineta bicolor
Authority: Vieillot, 1808

Euring code number: 9830

Alternate species names

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Catalan: oreneta bicolor
Czech: vlaštovka stromová
Danish: Træsvale
Dutch: Boomzwaluw
Estonian: õõnepääsuke
Finnish: kelopääsky
French: Hirondelle bicolore

German: Sumpfschwalbe
Hungarian: odúfecske
Icelandic: Trjásvala
Italian: Rondine arboricola
Latvian: koku bezdeliga
Lithuanian: miškine amerikine kregžde
Norwegian: Tresvale

Polish: nadobniczka drzewna
Portuguese: andorinha-das-árvores
Slovak: lastovicka dvojfarebná
Slovenian: drevesna lastovka
Spanish: Golondrina bicolor
Swedish: trädsvala

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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