Chimney Swift in June
Where chimney swifts are in June, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
June in the Chimney Swift's year
June is the height of the nesting season. Most resident and migrant species are raising young, migration is essentially over, and bird activity peaks at dawn. By late June the first fledglings of the year are everywhere — clumsy, loud, and constantly begging.
For the Chimney Swift specifically, June is a summer month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 42 states and provinces where chimney swifts occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where chimney swifts are in June
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- summer breeder
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In June, chimney swifts 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 June
June is inside the Chimney Swift nesting season. Nest: half-cup of twigs glued with saliva inside chimneys. Clutch 4–5 eggs, incubation 16–21 days, 1 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. 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 June
- Flies, beetles, ants and aphids in flight
Leave an uncapped masonry chimney open April–October, or build a swift tower; populations have fallen by roughly two-thirds since 1966.
Expect to see adults carrying food away rather than eating it — they're feeding nestlings. Fledglings visiting feeders with their parents are a June highlight.
Watching chimney swifts this month
In June, 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 chimney swifts are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Chimney Swift month by month
Chimney Swift by state
Frequently asked
Where are chimney swifts in June?
In June, chimney swifts are absent in the South, summer breeder across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do chimney swifts nest in June?
Yes — June falls inside the Chimney Swift nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do chimney swifts eat in June?
Flies, beetles, ants and aphids in flight.
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
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.