When do swallows leave Tennessee?

Most Barn Swallows have left Tennessee by mid August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid September.

When is the best time to see swallows in Tennessee?

The Barn Swallow is reported most often in mid July, on about 30% of Tennessee checklists.

Which swallows are in Tennessee?

Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Chimney Swift, Purple Martin, Cliff Swallow, and Bank Swallow are reported regularly; the Barn Swallow is the most common.

6 swallow species in Tennessee

When Do Swallows Arrive in Tennessee?

Photo: Diego González Dopico, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Barn Swallows, Tree Swallows, and Chimney Swifts are the swallows you are most likely to see in Tennessee. Barn Swallows reach Tennessee in mid March, are common by the second week of April, peak in mid July (30% of checklists), and most are gone by mid August.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 15-21mid March

Common byApr 8-14the second week of April

PeakJul 15-21mid July

Most gone byAug 15-21mid August

Best: mid July. First arrivals mid March; most are gone by mid August. Peak: on about 30% of Tennessee checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Maruncommon
Aprcommon
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Sepuncommon
Octrare
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Swallows in Tennessee, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Barn Swallow	Mar 15-21	Apr 8-14	Jul 15-21	Aug 15-21	30%
Tree Swallow	Feb 15-21	Mar 1-7	Apr 8-14	Jul 8-14	23%
Chimney Swift	Apr 1-7	Apr 15-21	May 15-21	Oct 1-7	23%
Purple Martin	Mar 1-7	Mar 15-21	Jul 8-14	Aug 15-21	13%
Cliff Swallow	Mar 15-21	Apr 8-14	Jun 1-7	Aug 8-14	8.0%
Bank Swallow	Jul 1-7	Jul 1-7	Aug 15-21	Sep 15-21	1.3%

Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Chimney Swift
Purple Martin

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Tennessee that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Tennessee

Best counties for Barn Swallow

Share of checklists at the peak

Scott CountyBest early August · 129 checklists that week, 3,027 in all65%
Monroe CountyBest the second week of August · 95 checklists that week, 5,763 in all65%
Haywood CountyBest late July · 45 checklists that week, 1,498 in all64%
Lincoln CountyBest late May · 66 checklists that week, 4,596 in all63%
Grainger CountyBest the second week of June · 62 checklists that week, 3,030 in all60%
Hardeman CountyBest the second week of June · 61 checklists that week, 541 in all60%

All swallows in Tennessee

6 species are reported regularly: 6 are summer visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Barn Swallow	Summer visitor	Mar 15-21	Jul 15-21	30%
2	Tree Swallow	Summer visitor	Feb 15-21	Apr 8-14	23%
3	Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Summer visitor	Mar 8-14	Apr 22-30	19%
4	Purple Martin	Summer visitor	Mar 1-7	Jul 8-14	13%
5	Cliff Swallow	Summer visitor	Mar 15-21	Jun 1-7	8.0%
6	Bank Swallow	Summer visitor	Jul 1-7	Aug 15-21	1.3%

Common questions

When do swallows arrive in Tennessee?: Barn Swallows reach Tennessee in mid March, are common by the second week of April, peak in mid July (30% of checklists), and most are gone by mid August.
When do swallows leave Tennessee?: Most Barn Swallows have left Tennessee by mid August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid September.
When is the best time to see swallows in Tennessee?: The Barn Swallow is reported most often in mid July, on about 30% of Tennessee checklists.
Which swallows are in Tennessee?: Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Chimney Swift, Purple Martin, Cliff Swallow, and Bank Swallow are reported regularly; the Barn Swallow is the most common.