When do swallows leave Utah?

Most Barn Swallows have left Utah by late September, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of October.

When is the best time to see swallows in Utah?

The Barn Swallow is reported most often in late August, on about 28% of Utah checklists.

Which swallows are in Utah?

Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, and Bank Swallow are reported regularly; the Barn Swallow is the most common.

5 swallow species in Utah

When Do Swallows Arrive in Utah?

Photo: Diego González Dopico, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Barn Swallows, Cliff Swallows, and Violet-green Swallows are the swallows you are most likely to see in Utah. Barn Swallows reach Utah in early April, are common by mid April, peak in late August (28% of checklists), and most are gone by late September.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 1-7early April

Common byApr 15-21mid April

PeakAug 22-31late August

Most gone bySep 22-30late September

Best: late August. First arrivals early April; most are gone by late September. Peak: on about 28% of Utah checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Marnot usually seen
Aprcommon
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octuncommon
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

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

Swallows in Utah, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Barn Swallow	Apr 1-7	Apr 15-21	Aug 22-31	Sep 22-30	28%
Cliff Swallow	Apr 1-7	Apr 22-30	Jun 22-30	Aug 8-14	16%
Violet-green Swallow	Apr 1-7	Apr 22-30	Jul 8-14	Aug 8-14	15%
Tree Swallow	Mar 8-14	Mar 22-31	May 1-7	Sep 8-14	10%
Bank Swallow	Apr 8-14	Apr 15-21	Aug 15-21	Sep 8-14	8.4%

Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Tree Swallow

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 Utah 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 Utah

Best counties for Barn Swallow

Share of checklists at the peak

Morgan CountyBest mid August · 56 checklists that week, 3,178 in all65%
Box Elder CountyBest the second week of August · 207 checklists that week, 9,867 in all50%
Davis CountyBest early September · 845 checklists that week, 39,952 in all49%
Cache CountyBest mid August · 278 checklists that week, 21,769 in all47%
Tooele CountyBest mid August · 99 checklists that week, 4,788 in all45%
Juab CountyBest the second week of May · 109 checklists that week, 2,572 in all44%

All swallows in Utah

6 species are reported regularly: 6 are summer visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Barn Swallow	Summer visitor	Apr 1-7	Aug 22-31	28%
2	Cliff Swallow	Summer visitor	Apr 1-7	Jun 22-30	16%
3	Violet-green Swallow	Summer visitor	Apr 1-7	Jul 8-14	15%
4	Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Summer visitor	Mar 8-14	May 1-7	13%
5	Tree Swallow	Summer visitor	Mar 8-14	May 1-7	10%
6	Bank Swallow	Summer visitor	Apr 8-14	Aug 15-21	8.4%

Common questions

When do swallows arrive in Utah?: Barn Swallows reach Utah in early April, are common by mid April, peak in late August (28% of checklists), and most are gone by late September.
When do swallows leave Utah?: Most Barn Swallows have left Utah by late September, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of October.
When is the best time to see swallows in Utah?: The Barn Swallow is reported most often in late August, on about 28% of Utah checklists.
Which swallows are in Utah?: Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, and Bank Swallow are reported regularly; the Barn Swallow is the most common.