Utah · Summer breeder

Barn Swallows in Utah

When barn swallows are present in Utah, when they nest, which native Utah plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–9a yard.

Swallows (Hirundinidae)Barn SwallowHirundo rustica

Status in Utah: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4a–9a

When to expect barn swallows in Utah

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

Semi-arid to arid, with the Wasatch Range rising above the Great Basin and red-rock canyon country in the south.

Nesting in Utah

Across Utah, barn swallows typically nest from May–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.

Hot, dry summers.

Barn Swallows don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, ponderosa pine, gambel oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Utah plants that attract barn swallows

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

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Gambel oak

Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa · Shrub

Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Tree

Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.

Willow (Bebb)

Salix bebbiana · Shrub

Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.

Dwarf birch

Betula glandulosa · Shrub

Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.

Feeding barn swallows through the Utah year

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

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

Full diet breakdown for barn swallows

Frequently asked

Are barn swallows in Utah year-round?

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

When do barn swallows nest in Utah?

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

What native plants attract barn swallows in Utah?

Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Rabbitbrush, Douglas fir, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch are native plants in Utah that provide food or cover for barn swallows.

Other backyard birds in Utah

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Gambel's Quail California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Cactus Wren Verdin Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-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.