Bayberries are a favorite of the tree swallow. Amazingly, swallows come back to the same nests year after year. It says young swallows usually build their nests within just a few miles of the nest their parents inhabit. Swallows repair old or weakened nests which last for many years. An average swallow lives about four years, and old nests in good condition are often taken over by new tenants.
Swallows usually stay with the same mate for life.
In some species, the male swallow helps incubate and care for the hatchlings. This behavior mainly occurs when swallows are living in colonies, otherwise the female cares for the young. Both the male and the female feed the hatchlings. Older siblings of newly hatched swallows have been observed helping with feedings. Swallows feed their nestlings by rolling insects into a compact ball and carrying them back to the nest in their throat.