Help count migrating chimney swifts when they roost

Volunteers are asked to participate in Swift Night Out, to count chimney swifts, between mid-August and early September. Monitoring chimney swift populations helps identify important roost sites and find ways to protect them. Chimney swifts, a unique bird species that nests and roosts in chimneys, are beginning to migrate south, all the way to the Amazon, starting in mid-August. Once dependent on cavities in standing dead trees, swifts now rely on manufactured structures, like chimneys, for nesting and roosting. This transition to chimneys began as forests were cleared and standing dead trees removed. Fewer structures now have usable chimneys, which could be a driving factor in the species’ decline. According to the latest North American Breeding Bird Survey, the chimney swift population has declined by 72 percent, in the past 50 years. During migration, something special happens – they become communal. They often gather at dusk, in great numbers, occasionally in the thousands. It’s not unusual to see swifts circling and swirling over a school chimney, or an old church chimney, just before dusk, in the middle of August or September, in Wisconsin. But, data indicates that it’s less common than it used to be. “Anyone can count chimney swifts, as they enter chimneys in the early evening,” said Rich Staffen, co-chair of the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group. “It’s a simple process; you don’t need to be a bird expert. All you have to do, is count individuals going into a chimney.” Swifts have slender bodies with long, curved wings and short, stubby tails (they look like a flying cigar or boomerang). They fly rapidly, with nearly constant wing beats, often twisting from side to side. They also give a distinctive, high-pitched chittering call, while in flight. They are the only birds that will drop into chimneys to roost for the night. Bats may use chimneys to roost during the day, but exit in the evening. From mid-August, for northern Wisconsin, to early September, in the southern part of the state, look for tall, uncapped brick chimneys. Watch for swifts swooping and circling near a chimney, to determine if they might roost there. Observe the birds entering the chimney, about 20 minutes, before sunset, until 10 minutes, after the last swift enters the chimney. Stay in one location, even if not spotting the swifts right away. They may come to the site later. If there are zero swifts entering the chimney, record this. This is still valuable information. Count (or estimate) the number of swifts as they enter the chimney. It’s useful to count in groups of five or 10, when they enter quickly in large numbers. A hand-held clicker counter can also be helpful. Enter data on eBird, with a free eBird account, by following the instructions. Data sharing is a critical piece of this activity, to allow swift conservationists to access count data. For more information on chimney swift identification, how to protect them or to find a Swift Night Out event nearby, visit wiswifts.org.