Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Breeding Range. (Fig. 108). Fairly common in the Turtle Mountains and on the Northeastern Drift Plain; fairly common locally on the Northwestern Drift Plain (most numerous on the Souris Lake Plain within Bottineau, Pierce, and McHenry Counties); uncommon and local in the Agassiz Lake Plain Region, on the Southern Drift Plain, and on the Missouri Coteau; apparently only of casual occurrence elsewhere--recorded at Linton in Emmons County, and unsubstantiated nesting was reported in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (Roosevelt Nature and History Association).
Breeding Habitat. Found along the margins of lakes, ponds, streams, and oxbows, usually in the vicinity of groves of trees or open woodland that contain standing dead trees. Preferred tree species include quaking aspen and peachleaf willow.
Nesting. Breeding season: Late May to late July; peak, early June to mid-July. Extreme dates of active nests (26 nests): May 21 [1964] in Stutsman County (RES) to July 23 [1917] in Richland County (M. C. Mabbott). Extreme egg dates (6 nests): June 3 [1970] in Stutsman County (H. A. Doty) to June 29 [1896] in Rolette County (E. T. Judd). Extreme nestling dates (5 nests): June 21 [1915] in Grand Forks County (R. Kellogg) to July 23 [1917] in Richland County (M. C. Mabbott).
Nests were usually situated in holes (often in old woodpecker holes) in standing dead trees or in dead snags of living trees. Old fence posts with cavities and bird houses including martin, bluebird, and wood duck boxes also were utilized. For 11 nests, the height of the nesting hole entrance above the ground (or water) ranged from 3 1/2 to 15 feet and averaged about 8.8 feet.
Indicated clutch size (14 nests): 4 to 7 eggs; mean, 5.5 eggs.
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| Figure 108. Breeding Range of Tree Swallow. |
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/bbofnd/species/6140.htm
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Menlo Park, CA [caww54]
