The Weekly Chirp: Chimney Swifts

I heard my first Chimney Swift this evening! These little guys are so interesting! They look like cigars with wings! Their faces are adorable, but that's a rare glimpse, as the Chimney Swift is one of the fastest birds in the world with speeds of 60mph or more. They come up from South America about this time of year, to roost and raise their young, then return to the Amazon in mid-October..

What is fascinating about them is that they nest in chimneys....uh....Chimney Swift. Each day, they fly home from various directions after covering hundreds of miles of territory gorging on insects. A small group will circle and start dropping into the chimney, then there are hundreds and the circling creates a vortex which brings everyone into the vertical nesting cavity.

Chimney Swifts can only perch and sleep in a vertical position, With the forward pointing toes and the spines at the end of the tailfeathers, these birds are securely fastened to the porous wallsl until daylight.

These yackity birds actually roost in the Chimney of the Post Theater. I promise to let you know when this activity begins....really neat to watch!