Chimney Swifts in Ontario
When chimney swifts are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect chimney swifts in Ontario
Chimney Swifts are summer residents in Ontario, arriving shortly before nesting begins in June and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on flies, beetles, ants and aphids in flight.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, chimney swifts typically nest from June–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.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Chimney Swifts don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as sugar maple, flowering dogwood, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Ontario plants that attract chimney swifts
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover chimney swifts use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Feeding chimney swifts through the Ontario 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 Ontario's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are chimney swifts in Ontario year-round?
No. Chimney Swifts are summer breeders in Ontario and leave for the winter.
When do chimney swifts nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs June–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 4–5 eggs, incubated for 16–21 days.
What native plants attract chimney swifts in Ontario?
Sugar maple, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for chimney swifts.
Chimney Swifts in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
Sources
- Chimney Swift — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Chimney Swift life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Chimney Swift — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.