 Breeding evidence |
 Relative abundance |
 Probability of observation |
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Click on plot to view table of mean abundance
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Number of squares
Long-term BBS trends
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-1.14 (-1.68 - -0.617)|
Mean abundance (number of birds detected per 5 min. point count) and percentage of squares occupied by region Bird Conservation Regions [abund. plot]
[%squares plot]
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Atlas Results
Atlas results coming soon
Excerpts Adapted from the Birds of Saskatchewan:
Arriving in late April with little fanfare, the gentle and graceful Tree Swallows seem to appear out of nowhere. Originally, these white-bellied swallows relied on old woodpecker nesting cavities in mature trees. Since the 1950s, a widespread proliferation of nestboxes has allowed them to nest in high densities in areas devoid of trees. Tree Swallows nest across North America from the treeline to the south-central US, and winter from California and Massachusetts through Central America and the Greater Antilles to northern South America.
As its name indicates, the Tree Swallow requires treed habitat because these provide needed nesting cavities. The highest natural densities are in burns or flooded areas where numerous dead trees provide many woodpecker holes but nesting habitat also includes more open forest and riparian woodlands.
The Tree Swallow was initially scarce or absent in treeless areas. European settlement gradually brought quelling of prairie fires, growth of latent aspen groves, and planting of farm shelterbelts, soon followed by telephone poles and fence posts with holes dug by Northern Flickers. It is now a common breeding bird throughout southern Saskatchewan. Many bird boxes have been ostensibly placed for bluebirds, but Tree Swallows have been the main beneficiaries.
Original text by R. Lorne Scott. Text adapted by Daniel J. Sawatzky
Read more about the Tree Swallow in the Birds of Saskatchewan here.
Recommended citation: Latremouille, L. M. 2025. Tree Swallow in Latremouille, L. M., S. L. Van Wilgenburg, C. B. Jardine, D. Lepage, A. R. Couturier, D. Evans, D. Iles, and K. L. Drake (eds.). 2025. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Saskatchewan, 2017-2021. Birds Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan https://sk.birdatlas.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=TRES&lang=en [14 Nov 2025]
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