Tree Swallows

Tree swallows spend most of their day flying in pursuit of small aerial insects, gliding swiftly through the air and twisting and turning artistically as their blue feathers flash in the sunlight.

This haiku written in 1818 by Issa, one of Japan’s foremost poets, recognizes the aerial exploits of swallow-kind:

Gliding through the cloudburst so cleverly …. swallows.

Tree Swallows — Tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, show up at my favorite wildlife refuge Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in spring and stay for the summer. They readily move into nest boxes like the one in the photo that are provided for them by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These birds prefer to nest near water, so the coastal refuge is a perfect spot for them.

swallow99 — Gliding through the cloudburst so cleverly …. swallows.

Julie Feinstein

I am a Collection Manager at the American Museum of Natural History, an author, and a photographer. I live in New York City. I recently published my first popular science book, Field Guide to Urban Wildlife, an illustrated collection of natural history essays about common animals. I update my blog, Urban Wildlife Guide, every Sunday.

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Julie Feinstein

Julie Feinstein

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