chimney_swift_april_20091Keep an eye out for those acrobatic wonders!  They’re on their way up from their wintering grounds in Peru and other points in South America.

Arrival of the Chimney Swifts in our area is a wonderful sign of spring, and hearing their chittering as they fly through the sky, so full of energy, is so invigorating! Let us know when you first hear or see them in your neighborhoods!

They’re a fascinating bird. You can listen to our Chimney Swift podcast from last year to learn more.

If you have a scout group looking for a project, building a Chimney Swift Tower could be an excellent activity to not only set up a structure that will benefit the birds for years to cone but also teach the kids about these birds, their habitats needs and adaptations and their migration.

There are two excellent books on Chimney Swifts. One is all about their life on the wing and other behaviors while the other is full of plans and information for how to build a tower.

The Chimney Swift Research Project, which we collaborate with each fall for the Swift Night Out, is a great resource for all sorts of information on these interesting birds. You can also learn more about them on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Chimney Swift Id page.