Tree Swallow Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesTree Swallow
Adult
Small streamlined songbird with a tiny bill, long, pointed wings and a short, squared or slightly notched tail. Adults are blue-green above and white below with blackish flight feathers.
© Max Nootbaar / Macaulay LibraryVirginia, May 19, 2018Immature female
Long-bodied songbird with a small head and bill. First year females may be brownish above with hints of blue-green; adult females can be nearly as blue-green as males.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 23, 2020Male and female
Frequently nests in artificial nest boxes.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 16, 2015Adult
In flight, note streamlined body, squared or slightly notched tail and broad wings. Adults are blue-green above with a black mask around their eye and tiny white crescents on the sides of their rump.
© Lorri Howski 🦋 / Macaulay LibraryWisconsin, May 04, 2020Adult female with juveniles
© DAVID BROWN / Macaulay LibraryNew York, June 01, 2004Not all videos have sound
Adult
Adult's metallic blue head contrasts with gleaming white underparts.
© Daniel Irons / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, March 19, 2019Immature female
Immature female is mostly brown above, with just a trace of iridescent feathers.
© August Davidson-Onsgard / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 08, 2019Juvenile
The wings are broad and the tail is squared or slightly notched. Juveniles are brown above with a small white crescent on the sides of its rump.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, July 06, 2017Adult
Adults are iridescent blue-green with a thin black mask around the eye.
© Martina Nordstrand / Macaulay LibraryVirginia, May 15, 2019Juvenile
Juvenile is brown above and white below. Note the yellow gape typical of the juveniles of many species.
© Brendan Klick / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, July 01, 2018Juvenile
Juveniles are brown above and white below, but some juveniles and females can show a weak, blurry gray-brown breast band.
© andrew aldrich / Macaulay LibraryMaine, August 04, 2017Adult
Breeds in open habitats such as fields and wetlands, usually adjacent to water. Nests in artificial nest boxes as well as holes in trees.
© Anonymous / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, June 10, 2017Flock
Forms large flocks during migration and when foraging over wetlands, water, and agricultural fields.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, September 28, 2012Similar SpeciesViolet-green Swallow
Adult male
Violet-green Swallows have a white face and white patches that extend around the sides of the rump. In Tree Swallows, the face is darker and the white does not wrap up the sides of the rump.
© Jason B Bidgood / Macaulay LibraryColorado, April 30, 2016Similar SpeciesCliff Swallow
Adult
Cliff Swallows are less clean white below, with a dark reddish throat and a buffy forehead and rump, whereas Tree Swallows are dark steely blue above and white below.
© George Pagos / Macaulay LibraryWashington, May 24, 2017Similar SpeciesNorthern Rough-winged Swallow
Adult
Northern Rough-winged Swallows are brown above, not steely blue like Tree Swallows. Rough-winged has a dingy brownish breast unlike Tree Swallow's clean white breast.
© Ian Hearn / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, May 13, 2017Similar SpeciesBank Swallow
Adult
Bank Swallows are slightly smaller than Tree Swallows and always brown above with a solid dark breast band.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 22, 2017Similar SpeciesBarn Swallow
Adult (American)
Barn Swallows have long, deeply forked tails, unlike the shallow forked tail of Tree Swallow. They also have reddish throats and peachy bellies.
© Andrew Dreelin / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 22, 2017Similar SpeciesPurple Martin
Adult male
Purple Martins are larger than Tree Swallows; males are glossy purple blue all over, without the Tree Swallow's pale belly.
© Alan MacEachren / Macaulay LibraryNorth Carolina, May 18, 2017Similar SpeciesPurple Martin
Female/immature
Purple Martins are larger than Tree Swallows. Females have dingy gray-white underparts rather than Tree Swallow's bright white breast and belly.
© Gates Dupont / Macaulay LibraryNew York, July 04, 2017Similar SpeciesChimney Swift
Adult/immature
Chimney Swifts are smaller than Tree Swallows with narrower, straighter wings and a choppy, stiff-winged flight style. They are brown overall without the clean white underparts of Tree Swallows.
© Steve Calver / Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, June 08, 2017Similar SpeciesVaux's Swift
Adult/immature
Vaux's Swifts are smaller than Tree Swallows with narrower, straighter wings and a choppy, stiff-winged flight style. They are brown overall without the clean white underparts of Tree Swallows.
© Roger Zachary / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, June 29, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Swallows(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Hirundinidae)
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