Chimney Swifts
Chimney Swifts
WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT CHIMNEY SWIFTS?
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Chimney Swifts eat nearly one third of their own weight in flying insect pests such as mosquitoes, biting flies and termites every day.
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Chimney Swifts historically used large, hollow trees for nests and roosts. As the ancient forests were cut down, they learned to use chimneys and other structures instead.
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Today, just like Purple Martins, Chimney Swifts rely almost entirely on man-made structures for nest sites.
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Because they cannot perch like songbirds, Chimney Swifts must have deep shafts in which to raise their families and roost at night.
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Chimney Swifts are protected by State Wildlife Codes and Federal law under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1916.
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Like all Neotropical Migrants, Chimney Swifts are declining in numbers and need our assistance.
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Like watching a beautiful sunset, the aesthetic value of observing Chimney Swifts? aerial acrobatics and interactions is a simple pleasure that nature has to offer.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP CHIMNEY SWIFTS?
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If you have a masonry or clay flue-tile chimney, keep the top open and the damper closed from March through October to provide a nest site for these insect-eaters. Metal chimneys should be permanently capped to prevent birds and other wildlife from being trapped.
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Have your chimney cleaned in early March before the Chimney Swifts return from their winter home in South America.
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Work with local conservation groups to construct Chimney Swift Towers and educate your friends and neighbors about Chimney Swifts.
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Join the North American Chimney Swift Nest Site Research Project as a Research Associate!
