Betula nigra Betula nigra Betula nigra, the black birch, river birch or water birch, is a species of birch native to the Eastern United States from New Hampshire west to southern Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and west to Texas. It is one of the few heat-tolerant birches in a family of mostly cold-weather trees which do not thrive in USDA Zone 6 and up. "B. nigra" commonly occurs in floodplains and swamps. "Betula nigra" is a deciduous tree growing to with a trunk in diameter. The base of the tree is often divided into multiple slender trunks. Bark Bark characteristics
Northern rough-winged swallow Northern rough-winged swallow The northern rough-winged swallow ("Stelgidopteryx serripennis") is a small, migratory swallow. It is very similar to the southern rough-winged swallow, "Stelgidopteryx ruficollis". The genus name, "Stelgidopteryx", is from Ancient Greek and means "scraper wing" and the species name, "serripennis", is derived from Latin and means "saw feather". In the common name, "rough-winged" refers to the serrated edge feathers on the wing of this bird; this feature would only be apparent when holding this bird. Six subspecies of the northern rough-winged swallow are currently recognized. It has been proposed that another race be recognized, "aphracta", but this is