Swallows in the Birdhouse

Hayley and Martin build a birdhouse to attract backyard swallows. Once the new home is in use, the children can watch the swallows collect nesting materials, lay six snowy white eggs, and care for their newly hatched young.

Two children put up a birdhouse in their backyard and watch as a pair of tree swallows build a nest and raise six babies before migrating south in the fall. Includes information about tree swallows and about birdhouses.

Two children put up a birdhouse in their backyard and watch as a pair of tree swallows build a nest and raise six babies before migrating south in the fall. Includes ...

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3In early spring, two children put up a birdhouse and watch as a tree swallow and her mate settle in. Using dry grass and feathers, the female builds a nest inside the house while the male stands guard. She lays eggs and sits on them for two weeks. When they hatch, both parents collect bugs for the nestlings. Eventually, the small birds leave the nest and as autumn approaches, hundreds of swallows crowd the telephone wires as they prepare to fly south. The strength of this simple book is its fascinating naturalistic illustrations, done in watercolors that have been cut, molded, and glued together to form three-dimensional sculptures that were then photographed. Cutaway and aerial views offer a look at what is going on inside the nesting box, as if one side of it were made of glass. A page of "fascinating facts" ("Before they migrate, tree swallows gather in great communal flights, sometimes 50,000 birds strong"); a quick guide to tree swallows (size, color, range, etc.); tips on how to attract them; and detailed instructions for building a birdhouse are appended.Helen Rosenberg, Chicago Public Library, IL

Stephen Swinburne is the author of many books, including Saving Manatees, a Society of School Librarians International Honor Book, and Wiff and Dirty George: The Z.E.B.R.A. Incident. He lives in South Londonderry, Vermont.