A chimney swift is a migratory bird belonging to the swift family Apodidae. They are described as being small with a slender-tube like body and long narrow curved wings. They are a dark-grey brown and usually have a lighter throat. You can usually see them flying around catching insects at dusk.
Chimney Swifts don’t nest like regular birds, instead they
Nest: Both parents build a half-cup of loosely woven twigs, cemented together and to the wall of the chimney, with the bird’s glue-like saliva. Pairs often use the same nest site in subsequent years. If you have chirping coming from your chimney or can hear other noises, you should call a chimney expert. Because the birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, they may not be removed from your chimney. Instead you must let them tend to their babies, and when they fly back south you have the chimney professionally cleaned and put a proper cap with animal guard on your chimney.
Some interesting facts about chimney swift:
- Chimney Swifts do not perch like other birds. They use their long claws to cling to the walls of chimneys, and use their stiff tail feathers as a prop.
- Swifts spend their entire day in the air except when roosting or nesting. They even bathe in flight by swooping down and touching their breast feathers on the surface of the water.
Status in Tennessee: Common migrant and summer resident across the state, but most numerous in urban and suburban areas. They are present in Tennessee from late March or early April until mid-October. The population is declining range wide, possibly because new style chimneys are less suitable for nest sites.
