The Conservation of Chimney Swifts

Human impact affects animals everywhere on earth, but it is only when this effect begins to touch the animals that are a part of our everyday life that we really notice.

Chimney swifts are a common sight in Birmingham, AL. They are stout little birds, with small legs that can’t support their body weight. They are usually not longer than five and a half inches and are often described as appearing like a “cigar with wings” when in flight.

Every spring, thousands of chimney swifts migrate to Birmingham, AL for mating and nesting. These birds attract human attention through their behavioral patterns known as “swiftnados,” where hundreds of swifts swarm and circle around chimneys, before pouring into them for the night, to stay warm and safe from predators.

Chimney swifts originally lived in old-growth forests where huge, hollowed-out, dead trees could support their roosting. Deforestation removed large patches of this habitat in their range, and as such they adapted to more urban settings by roosting in manmade chimneys.

Unfortunately, these little birds and their dazzling behaviors are in danger. Chimney swifts have recently become of interest to conservationists in Birmingham, AL. In the past fifty years, the chimney swift population has declined by more than seventy percent. It is not entirely known what has caused this steep drop. It is likely, however, that the habitat these birds adapted to has been put at risk again. In Birmingham, as downtown and other areas are redeveloped, old chimneys that served as excellent roosts for the swifts are destroyed, and modern chimneys with narrow flues don’t allow for nesting.

Luckily, the conservation of chimney swifts has become a top priority for the Birmingham Audubon Society. They have instituted outreach to inform the public about the birds, with events such as the so-called “Swift Night Out,” where people are educated on the birds before a possible swiftnado sighting. More importantly, they have begun constructing “artificial chimneys,” which imitate chimneys, but have no use besides creating the nesting habitat.

Unfortunately, these towers cost almost $1,000 each to build, and as a result only two have been installed in the city. These create a dent in the receding habitat, but many more are needed to conserve chimney swifts.

You can get involved, donate, and find out more at https://birminghamaudubon.org/swifts/. Together, the people of Birmingham can help preserve the magic of a swiftnado for generations to come.