Illinois · Summer breeder

Cliff Swallows in Illinois

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

Swallows (Hirundinidae)Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota

Status in Illinois: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5a–7b

When to expect cliff swallows in Illinois

Cliff Swallows are summer residents in Illinois, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent.

Humid continental, grading from the Lake Michigan shore and prairie north to the forested Shawnee Hills in the south.

Nesting in Illinois

Across Illinois, cliff swallows typically nest from May–July. Plan around that window: April for setup, July for clean-out.

Hot, humid summers; much of the state is farmland, so backyard native plantings matter.

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

Native Illinois plants that attract cliff swallows

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

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.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Feeding cliff swallows through the Illinois year

Top foods: Crushed eggshell or oyster grit (for nest minerals).
In Illinois's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for cliff swallows · Best feeder for cliff swallows

Frequently asked

Are cliff swallows in Illinois year-round?

No. Cliff Swallows are summer breeders in Illinois and leave for the winter.

When do cliff swallows nest in Illinois?

Nesting in Illinois typically runs May–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 10–19 days.

What native plants attract cliff swallows in Illinois?

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

Other backyard birds in Illinois

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 Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift 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 American Crow Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Northern Bobwhite Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Scarlet Tanager Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Golden-crowned Kinglet Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Rock Pigeon Monk Parakeet Eurasian Tree Sparrow

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.