I04 Birds Every Child Should Know 



Like the cliff swallow, the tree swallow is 

 fast losing the right to its name. It takes 

 so kindly to the boxes we set up for martins, 

 bluebirds and wrens that, where sparrows do 

 not interfere, it now prefers them to the hollow 

 trees, which once were its only shelter. But 

 some tree swallows still cling to old-fashioned 

 ways and at least rest in hollow trees and 

 stumps, even if they do not nest in them. 

 Some day they may become as dependent upon 

 us as the martins and, like them, refuse to nest 

 where boxes are not provided. 



