Bank Swallow in July
Where bank swallows are in July, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
July in the Bank Swallow's year
July is the quietest month for bird song but one of the busiest for bird life. Many species are on second broods, young birds from first broods are independent, and natural food — insects, ripening fruit and seeds — is abundant. In the far South the first southbound shorebirds are already moving.
For the Bank Swallow specifically, July is a summer month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 61 states and provinces where bank swallows occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where bank swallows are in July
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- summer breeder
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In July, bank swallows are absent in the South, summer breeder across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in July
July is inside the Bank Swallow nesting season — about a month earlier in the South and a month later in the North. Nest: burrow dug 1–3 ft into a sand or gravel bank. Clutch 1–7 eggs, incubation 13–16 days, 1 per season.
The southern nesting season has already wound down, but northern pairs are still raising young — the whole season shifts later as you go north. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in July
- Flies, mayflies, beetles and winged ants
Digs nest burrows in vertical sand banks in big colonies; needs eroding riverbanks or sand pits.
Feeder traffic often dips as natural food peaks, but water becomes the big draw — a clean birdbath outpulls seed in hot weather.
Full Bank Swallow diet guide → · Best feeder for bank swallows →
Watching bank swallows this month
In July, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region bank swallows are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Bank Swallow month by month
Bank Swallow by state
Frequently asked
Where are bank swallows in July?
In July, bank swallows are absent in the South, summer breeder across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do bank swallows nest in July?
Yes — July falls inside the Bank Swallow nesting season at mid-latitudes (a month earlier in the South).
What do bank swallows eat in July?
Flies, mayflies, beetles and winged ants.
Sources
- Bank Swallow — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bank Swallow life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bank Swallow — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.