Ohio · Summer breeder

Chimney Swifts in Ohio

When chimney swifts are present in Ohio, when they nest, which native Ohio plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.

Swifts (Apodidae)Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica

Status in Ohio: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–7a

When to expect chimney swifts in Ohio

Chimney Swifts are summer residents in Ohio, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on flies, beetles, ants and aphids in flight.

Humid continental; cold winters and warm summers, with Lake Erie moderating the north coast.

Nesting in Ohio

Across Ohio, chimney swifts typically nest from May–July. Nest site: half-cup of twigs glued with saliva inside chimneys. Females lay 4–5 eggs, incubate for 16–21 days, and young leave the nest after 28–30 days.

Warm, humid summers; western Lake Erie marshes are a major migration stopover.

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

Native Ohio plants that attract chimney swifts

Of the regional native plants we track for Ohio, these 8 provide food or cover chimney swifts use:

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early fruit.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

High-fat fall berries.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

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

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 chimney swifts through the Ohio year

Leave an uncapped masonry chimney open April–October, or build a swift tower; populations have fallen by roughly two-thirds since 1966.

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

Full diet breakdown for chimney swifts

Frequently asked

Are chimney swifts in Ohio year-round?

No. Chimney Swifts are summer breeders in Ohio and leave for the winter.

When do chimney swifts nest in Ohio?

Nesting in Ohio typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 4–5 eggs, incubated for 16–21 days.

What native plants attract chimney swifts in Ohio?

Serviceberry, Spicebush, Flowering dogwood, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Ohio that provide food or cover for chimney swifts.

Other backyard birds in Ohio

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee 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 Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow 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.