May 2, 2010
Tree Swallow - Lusitania Meadow (Tachycineta bicolor)
This bird's blue coloring identifies it as an adult since a juvenile's
upperside coloring is grayish brown. It's preferred diet is catching
insects in flight, but will eat small crustaceans and spiders. Unlike
other swallows, the Tree Swallow eats berries in winter (when
insects are scarce) which enables these birds to winter farther
north. In 2004 and 2005 participants at Friends of Fresh Reservation
Programs built and placed nesting boxes (for tree swallows and smaller
cavity nesting birds) throughout the Reservation. The birds have used
these "birdhouses".
Description and Photo by Carol Collura