Tree swallows catch flying insects in aerobatic maneuvers over fields, streams and wetlands where rich populations of flying insects spawn. They build nests of grass and straw lined with feathers three to thirty feet high in natural or abandoned tree cavities and cliffs and very often in nest boxes in woodland edges, groves, farms and towns. See the tree swallow birdhouse page and view or print birdhouse plans.

 

Violet-green swallows feed on on flying insects in aerobatic maneuvers high over forests, fields and canyons. They build nests of grass and feathers in natural or abandoned tree cavities in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests or in cliff crevices. They also like bird houses. See the violet-green swallow birdhouse page and view or print birdhouse plans.

Barn swallows hunt flying insects in graceful aerobatics over open fields and farm yards. They attach mud and grass nests to ceiling rafters or walls near a ceiling almost always in open barns or other out buildings, country churches, long covered bridges of New England, beneath piers or open boat houses, sometimes under eaves. See the barn swallow shelter page and view or print shelter plans.

Cliff swallows catch flying insects usually over water and skim insects off the surface of ponds. Colonies of dozens or several hundred mud nests adhere to shear vertical cliff faces, walls or beam sides, under bridges often above water, under wharves and building eaves. See the cliff swallow shelter page and view or print shelter plans.

Purple martins scatter out over the country catching moths, horse flies, deer flies, dragonflies and other flying insects in falcon like flight. Parents return to feed their young about one hundred times between sunup and sundown. Attracting colonies of dozens of martins to apartment like birdhouses mounted high in wide open backyards is a popular American hobby. An unfinished purple martin house design can be viewed here.

Chimney Swifts are not in the Hirundinidae family, but they swoop gracefully like swallows overhead catching flying insects. In evenings or cloudy days you may see them and hear their high pitched twittering notes. Chimney swift ancestors nested in forest tree hollows. Now they suspend their basket like nests of twigs inside little chimneys and some people attract flocks to chimney swift towers.

Make this nest box for tree swallows and violet-green swallows. Install near bluebird houses – swallows are good bluebird neighbors and help protect from house sparrows.

The volume and 1 3/8″ side entrance hole in this nest box accommodates Chickadees, Nuthatches, Titmice, Wrens and Tree Swallows, yet is normally too small for English Sparrows.

There are cases where barn and cliff swallows have been attracted to a swallow shelter made specially for them.

The shelters may be useful in only a few situations such as where no open shelters or eaves exist. The mud pellet nests of black phoebes and barn and cliff swallows readily adhere to vertical surfaces without any assistance.

Even if chances are slim, it’s very little effort and they are nice looking ornaments.