Nature's Aerial Acrobats, the Chimney Swift
Have you ever witnessed a flock of Chimney Swifts swoop in at dusk? These small birds have slender ‘cigar shaped’ bodies and very long, narrow, curved wings. Their heads are round and sit atop their short necks and have short, tapered tails. One of the most fascinating aspects of chimney swifts is where they choose to call home. Historically, these birds would nest in hollow trees, but as deforestation and urbanization have changed their natural environment, they have adapted ingeniously. Today, chimney swifts have taken to nesting and roosting in man-made structures, particularly chimneys, hence their name.
Intriguingly enough, they spend most of their life in flight! Chimney swifts spend the majority of their lives on the wing, darting and swooping through the air with remarkable agility. They feed on insects, snatching them from the air with precise, mid-flight maneuvers that would put even the most skilled aerial performers to shame.
Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change their lives are in peril. We have started an initiative to help protect our local chimney swifts and their habitats. We have built our own swift tower for them to roost in at night, but we need your help! Please consider donating to our Chimney Swift Tower Fund so we can build more to help these amazing birds continue to grace our nighttime skies.
And if you would like to observe these birds perform their breathtaking acrobatic skills, please join us at our upcoming event ‘Flight of the Chimney Swifts’ on Saturday, August 24. Full details can be found under the Events tab on our website. You can also make a donation to the Chimney Swift Tower Fund on our website as well!