Texas · Summer breeder

Barn Swallows in Texas

When barn swallows are present in Texas, when they nest, which native Texas plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6b–10a yard.

Swallows (Hirundinidae)Barn SwallowHirundo rustica

Status in Texas: Summer breeder
Nesting window: April–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6b–10a

When to expect barn swallows in Texas

Barn Swallows are summer residents in Texas, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on flies, beetles and moths.

Humid subtropical in the east and along the Gulf, semi-arid to arid in the west; long, hot summers and short, mild winters over most of the state.

Nesting in Texas

Across Texas, barn swallows typically nest from April–July. Nest site: mud cup on beams and ledges under shelter. Females lay 3–7 eggs, incubate for 12–17 days, and young leave the nest after 15–27 days.

Afternoon highs regularly exceed 95°F — nest boxes need shade or light-colored, ventilated construction, and water matters as much as food.

Barn Swallows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as live oak, flowering dogwood, serviceberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Texas plants that attract barn swallows

Of the regional native plants we track for Texas, these 8 provide food or cover barn swallows use:

Live oak

Quercus virginiana · Tree

Acorns and a huge insect load for foraging and nestling food.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Feeding barn swallows through the Texas year

Barn swallows nest on ledges under eaves and in barns; an open-front ledge shelf gives them a site.

Best foods: .
In Texas's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for barn swallows

Frequently asked

Are barn swallows in Texas year-round?

No. Barn Swallows are summer breeders in Texas and leave for the winter.

When do barn swallows nest in Texas?

Nesting in Texas typically runs April–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 3–7 eggs, incubated for 12–17 days.

What native plants attract barn swallows in Texas?

Live oak, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Texas that provide food or cover for barn swallows.

Other backyard birds in Texas

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Eastern Towhee Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Black-crested Titmouse Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Spotted Towhee Canyon Towhee Gambel's Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Acorn Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Curve-billed Thrasher Verdin Pyrrhuloxia Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove Inca Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.