Chimney swifts are vanishing as old chimneys disappear. The aerial insect-eaters need yards that support them, and there are six easy ways to help them thrive.
The Arrival of the Chimney Swift
In April, chimney swifts arrive; in October, they leave. Between these months, their chittering and twittering calls fill the sky. One writer in Nashville hears them everywhere: in the city, the suburbs, parks, and parking lots. The birds fly so fast that they often disappear from view.
These swifts flew unheard and unseen for years until a naturalist pointed them out on a hike. “They look like flying cigars,” the naturalist said, noting that one would never see what they looked like when they were not flying. Because they are always flying. Chimney swifts eat, drink, bathe, court and mate in the air, and can even sleep while flying. They only land to nest and roost, and this happens in private, inside an uncapped chimney.
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Why They Need Chimneys
Chimney swifts nested in North America millions of years before humans built masonry chimneys. Their natural hollow trees are largely gone. Masonry chimneys provide rough, vertical surfaces that swift feet can grab; they cannot perch like other birds. Their nests are little half-saucers made of twigs glued together with saliva, which stick to this surface.
Spring is single-family housing for these birds, while summer and fall are hotels where they gather to roost before flying to winter homes in the Amazon Basin. In the last 50 years, chimney swift numbers have dropped by more than half, and the decline is accelerating. Habitat loss is the short answer as to why, and this includes a loss of insect prey and of chimneys.
Roosting in the City
One homeowner has a capped chimney, as do most homes after inspection. New homes often do not have chimneys at all. Some bird-lovers uncover their chimneys for the swifts, then tidy and re-cap for winter. Other housing options include DIY towers and faux chimneys for public spaces. Ideally, there is a protected barn, silo, vent pipe, or industrial chimney nearby where swifts can gather at night to swirl by the thousands in an unforgettable display known as a bird tornado.
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Even a regular chimney can be a game-changing spectacle for people and a lifesaver for birds. A few Septembers ago, a family waited to cross a street at sunset. About two dozen chimney swifts were circling high above their sugar maple. One bird broke from the circle and fell. It did not slow down but dropped headfirst into the next-door neighbor’s chimney.
The writer stayed in the driveway and watched. Every bird peeled off from the party and fell, one at a time, into bed.
Gardening for Swifts
Gardeners are uniquely positioned to support chimney swift populations. Six simple ways to support them include adding native plants, mowing high and less often, skipping pesticides and herbicides, leaving some leaves, making a brush pile, and turning off unnecessary nighttime lighting during migration.