English name :  Tree Swallow
               French name :  Hirondelle bicolore
               Latin name :  Tachycineta bicolor
               Breadth :  37cm
               Length :     15 cm
               Weight :   20 g

                Birdhouse for the Tree Swallow :
 

HABITAT
Sparsely wooded regions, open woodlands, close to fields, lakes, and marshes close to homes .

NESTING
The Tree Swallow nests in natural cavities, abandoned woodpecker holes, and in nests specially constructed for their species. They are usually solitary but can also be found in groups with each having its own territory. The nest is an accumulation of dry grass and decorated with feathers piled over the eggs. The construction requires five (5) to fourteen (14) days of work by the female.

Environment Canada (nest) 

 
Eggs, appr. four (4) to six (6), 18 x 13 mm, oval to lomg oval. The shell is smooth and matte or slightly glossy, solid white without any markings. Incubation is assured by the female towards the end of May and lasts between 13 and 16 days; begin with the laying of the last egg. There is one brood per year. The young chicks are born altricial. Both sexes take care of the young until they are able to leave the nest about 16 to 24 days after birth.

Royal Alberta Museum : Eggs of Alberta 
 
Food
The young are nourished with insects of all kinds deposited in their beaks.

MIGRATION
Southern United States

Cornell Ornithology Lab 
 

Websites for additional information:

Canada : Environment Canada 
 

United States : Cornell Lab of Ornithology  

 
The Museum of Civilization : Audubon, Paint, Nature and Adventure 
 

Definition:  altricial
Consult the glossary of the Canadian Wildlife and Flora Service
http://www.hww.ca/glossary.asp