Chimney Swift Conservation Project

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First Annual Chimney Swift Sit

The First Annual Audubon Minnesota Chimney Swift Sit was a great success with participants checking on chimneys from Grand Marais to Winona to Hutchinson and throughout the Twin Cities area. Schools, churches, businesses, and residential chimneys were among the structures providing swift roosting sites. See a summary of the Sit results here.

About the Project

Audubon Minnesota helps chimney swifts by partnering with parks, nature centers, schools, corporations, individuals and others to construct chimney swift towers and to educate citizens about what they can to do help this species whose populations are rapidly declining.

Audubon Minnesota has initiated the Chimney Swift Conservation Project as part of its Audubon at Home program. Since this species has come to rely on the insides of chimneys as their primary nesting and roosting sites, having artificial chimneys and towers will help conserve this species. These towers have three purposes for helping chimney swifts in addition to serving as nest and roost sites: 1) educating the public about these birds, 2) serve as models to showcase and, 3) teach others how to erect similar structures in their neighborhoods, parks and other public places.

Chimney Swift Facts

• Audubon’s analysis documents a 48% decrease in chimney swifts in just the last four decades
• Small, agile, fast-flying bird that is readily identified by its characteristic “flying cigar” profile
• Breeds across much of eastern North America
• Historically nested and roosted in hollow trees
• Readily adapted to the insides of masonry chimneys
• Winters in the Amazon Basin

What Audubon Minnesota Will Do

Audubon Minnesota has initiated this project to engage the people of Minnesota in a tangible, easy-to-accomplish project that can make a difference to the chimney swift populations and create greater citizen awareness about bird conservation. These swifts can be helped by making chimneys accessible for the birds or by building specially designed nesting/roosting towers.

Audubon will recruit and train partners to build chimney swift towers on their properties. Eagle Scout Troop 524 recently built a chimney swift tower at Aveda Corporation headquarters in Blaine (see photo above). Audubon will also create public awareness about this species through brochures, presentations, articles, and our web site.

What You Can Do To Help

• Plant native trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses which attract more insects than non-natives. Chimney Swifts feed exclusively on flying insects which are especially crucial during the breeding season.
• Investigate the possibility of an alternative venting system if you are converting a furnace or hot water heater to gas, leaving the chimney unlined and uncapped for the swifts.
• Encourage your neighborhood parks, schools, and businesses to consider building an artificial nesting structure.
• Participate in Audubon Minnesota's Chimney Swift Sit in August and September to help us better understand the distribution of migrating Chimney Swifts in Minnesota.
• Work with local conservation groups like Audubon Minnesota to help raise awareness of the need for uncapped chimneys for Chimney Swift conservation.

Additional Reading

Chimney Swift publications: Audubon Minnesota Chimney Swift Conservation Project brochure and Information for Landlords of Chimney Swifts and All About Chimney Swifts in London, Ontario (provided through the courtesy of The McIlwrath Field Naturalists of London, Ontario).

For more information on the Audubon Minnesota Chimney Swift Conservation Project, contact the Minnesota Audubon at Home Coordinator.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell if I have chimney swifts and not bats in my chimney?
Swifts like large openings at the top and closed at the bottom unlike bats that like tight openings at the bottom and closed at top. If you see birds entering the chimney at dusk they are most likely chimney swifts. Bats on the other hand are leaving their small roosts at that time.

Should I be concerned about swifts interfering with my use of my fireplace?
Swifts are generally gone before the colder temperatures arrive as they are down wintering in the Amazon.

I have heard that chimney swifts pose a fire hazard, is that true?
Only one pair of swifts nests in a chimney son matter how many non-breeding swifts might be using it. The nest is so small that it poses a very minimal fire hazard, and certainly are small enough to not block even the smallest of flues. Routine cleaning (when the swifts are gone south for the winter is the best time) will eliminate any potential risk.

The chimney swifts are really noisy, what is going on?
Swifts will make swooshing noises as they enter and leave the chimney and will often chirp. If you are lucky enough to have a nest with young you won’t have any problem knowing as they will make some loud, high pitched yips when the parents return with food. This vocalization by the young doesn’t last but two to two and a half weeks until the young fledge. You can put a sheet of styrofoam or something that softens the noise in the flue to reduce the noise during the nesting period.

Some chimney sweeps have told me that swifts cause Histoplasmosis, should I be concerned?
Histoplasma an organism that can grow in the soil is associated primarily with large scale poultry operations or large amounts of bird or bat droppings. Having you chimney cleaned periodically (while the swifts are not nesting) will prevent any appreciable accumulations of droppings. The chimney sweep will take necessary precautions if there are any accumulated materials at the bottom.

How much difference does it make if I cap my chimney?
Capping of chimneys is undoubtedly a major factor in the decline of the chimney swift (a 50% decline in just the last 40 years. One less chimney means one less family of young that can reproduce in the years ahead. Rather than capping your chimney or installing metal vents when installing anew gas furnace of hot water heater consider alternative venting methods other than running it up an existing brick chimney.