The Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica), famously described by Roger Tory Peterson in his pioneering A Field Guide to the Birds as resembling "a cigar with wings", is one of the nine swift species in the New World genus Chaetura. Several Chaetura species, including C. pelagica, originally built their nests in hollow trees but now often nest inside chimneys or other human-built structures. The Chimney Swift is the only swift regularly occurring in eastern North America. In late summer, large flocks may be seen in the sky at dusk, giving their distinctive chattering calls. Chimney Swifts feeding on flying insects are a familiar sight in the open skies over towns and cities across the eastern United States and adjacent Canada,. Within the Chinmey Swift's range, artificial nest sites such as chimneys are far more common than suitable hollow trees.

Chimney swift courtship involves aerial displays. Nesting is often colonial and the breeding pair is often assisted by an extra adult “helper”. The nest, which is constructed by both sexes, is shaped like half a saucer and is made of twigs glued together with the birds’ saliva. Adults break off short dead twigs from trees while zooming past in flight. Clutch size is 4 to 5 white eggs (range 3 to 6). Incubation (for 19 to 21 days) is by both parents. Both parents feed young (by regurgitating insects). Young may climb out of the nest after around 20 days, clambering up vertical walls. Young typically first fly at around 28 to 30 days.

Chimney Swifts migrate in flocks, apparently during the day. They winter in eastern Peru, northern Chile, and in the upper Amazon basin of eastern Peru and northwestern Brazil.

(Kaufman 1996; AOU 1998)

Chaetura pelagica breeds in eastern North America as far north as southern Canada, and occasionally in California and Arizona (USA). It is a migratory species, wintering in eastern Ecuador, Peru, north-west Brazil and northern Chile¹. The Canadian population, which occupies one quarter of the breeding range, is estimated at just 11,820 breeding individuals³, although the global population has been estimated at 15,000,000 individuals⁶. Trends have been recorded through North America between 1966 and 2007, with a decline of 5.5% per year in Canada (total decline of 90%) and 1.8% per year in the USA (total decline of 53%). Overall, during this period the population has declined by 1.9% per year, though this decline has accelerated in recent years, reaching a decline of 2.8% per year between 1980 and 2008⁵ (total decline of 40% over this period)⁴.

Chimney swifts are found from central Alberta to Newfoundland, and south to Florida, the Gulf states, and eastern Texas. They are migratory, wintering at the headwaters of the Amazon in western Brazil and eastern Peru. Chimney swifts are considered accidental species in Greenland and Bermuda.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); neotropical (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) BREEDING: east-central Saskatchewan east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia and probably Newfoundland, south to eastern New Mexico, southern Texas, Gulf Coast, and southern Florida, and west to southeastern Wyoming and eastern Colorado (AOU 1998). NON-BREEDING: western Peru, northern Chile, and upper Amazon basin of eastern Peru and Brazil (Stiles and Skutch 1989, AOU 1998). MIGRATION: eastern Mexico, Caribbean slope of Middle America, Colombia, and western Venezuela (AOU 1998).

In general, chimney swifts are a dark grayish to brownish-gray, sooty color. Males and females look alike. The tail has stiff bristle-like or spiny feather tips (Palmer and Fowler, 1975; Whittemore, 1981). There may be as many as seven tail spines (Chantler and Driessens, 2000). They have been described as resembling a "flying cigar" (Palmer and Fowler, 1975). Chimney swifts have large eyes. They weigh 21.33 g on average. Wing length averages 130.4 mm and tail length averages 39.1 mm (Chantler and Driessens, 2000).

Average mass: 21.33 g.

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike

Average mass: 22.8 g.

Length: 13 cm

Weight: 24 grams

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

In temperate zones, chimney swifts are found most often in areas settled by humans. In the tropics, they are also found near irrigated agricultural lands and areas inhabited by humans. In natural tropical settings, chimney swifts are found at the edge of rivers bordered by forest or the edge of lowland evergreen forests and secondary growth scrub, and even over the Andean valleys in Peru and Ecuador. They can be found at elevations of 2500 m.

Range elevation: 2500 (high) m.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains

Other Habitat Features: suburban ; agricultural ; riparian

Comments: Cosmopolitan; inhabits rural and urban environments having both an abundance of flying arthropods and suitable roosting/nesting sites. Nests principally in chimneys, but also on the interior walls of a variety of other anthropogenic structures including silos, barns, outhouses, uninhabited houses, boathouses, wells, and cisterns (Bent 1940). Natural nest sites include the interior of hollow tree trunks and branches, Pileated Woodpecker cavities and rock shelters (Bent 1940, Fisher 1958, Hofslund 1958). Trees in which nests have been found include American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Yellow Birch (Betula lutea), Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum), Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum), and Water Nyssa aquatica; Blodgett and Zammuto 1979, Fischer 1958, Hofslund 1958, Mumford and Keller 1984, Stevenson and Anderson 1994). Due to the prevalence of nesting structures in areas populated by humans, often occurs at higher densities in anthropogenic environments than natural ones (i.e., forests; Beissinger and Osborne 1982). Migrating flocks roost overnight principally in chimneys, but also in hollow trees or, rarely, even exposed on tree trunks (Bent 1940, Spendelow 1985).

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

PHENOLOGY: Migrates northward, often in small flocks, through North America from mid-March through May. Migrates southward in August and September in large flocks (Stokes 1979). Migrates diurnally (Bent 1940).

ROUTES: A trans-Gulf migrant; the vast majority of individuals apparently cross the Gulf of Mexico between the United States and Mexico. A second migration pathway over the West Indies is apparently little used (Lowery 1943). Raffaele (1989) consider it an extremely rare migrant over the Virgin Islands. Migrates through Costa Rica along the Caribbean coast from mid-March to late April and from early October through early November (Stiles and Skutch 1989). As they migrate through Costa Rica, thousands may gather into feeding flocks over open areas during stormy weather, sometimes in the company of other swifts (Stiles and Skutch 1989).

FLOCK SIZE: A flock migrating over Kingston, Ontario on 14 May 1947 was estimated to contain 10,000 individuals (Bowman 1952). One fall flock, roosting in a hollow Sycamore tree, was estimated to contain 9000 individuals, and another, roosting in a chimney, contained an estimated 12,620 individuals (Bent 1940, Groskin 1945).

MIGRATION SPEED: Travels approximately 100 kilometers per day during migration (Bowman 1952). An individual banded at Kingston, Ontario on 2 September 1928 was recovered 12 days later at Charleston, West Virginia (traveled approximately 62 kilometers per day). Another individual, banded at Lexington, Missouri in September, arrived at Baton Rouge, Louisiana 3 days later (a travel rate of approximately 324 kilometers per day). A swift banded at Baton Rouge, Louisiana was captured 750 kilometers to the north 5 days later (an average of 150 kilometers per day). Another swift banded at Chattanooga, Tennessee was recovered 160 kilometers away on the same day (Bowman 1952). An individual banded at London, Ontario, was captured 12 days later at Knoxville, Tennessee (an average of 67 kilometers per day; Hitchcock 1945). Prior to fall migration, pre-migratory flocks (apparently composed of local individuals) form (Fischer 1958, Michael and Chao 1973).

WINTERING: Winters in the upper Amazon River basin from western Peru to Bolivia and central Brazil (Lincoln 1944, Stiles and Skutch 1989, Terres 1991).

Chimney swifts feed exclusively while in flight. They are primarily insectivores (Palmer and Fowler, 1975). They forage by hovering over tree branches and catching insects in flight; they take a variety of insect and spider prey. Forty to fifty chimney swifts were recorded hovering at the outer branches or diving through the top branches of a sweetgum tree in pursuit of a particular species of weevil (Chantler and Driessen, 2000).

Animal Foods: insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods

Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore , Eats non-insect arthropods)

Comments: Forages for arthropods, principally flying insects, while in flight (Terres 1991). With rare exceptions, foraging is diurnal (Bent 1940, Oberholser 1974). Occasionally picks insects off tips of tree branches (Fischer 1958). Fischer (1958) examined over 1000 insects fed to young in New York. Principal food items (95%), in decreasing order of frequency, included Diptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Plecoptera. The remainder of the diet was composed of Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Trichoptera, Siphonaptera, and Arachnids. Fleas (Siphonaptera) inhabiting the nest may have entered the diet accidentally (Fischer 1958). At times the diet is comprised overwhelmingly of one insect group or species, apparently the result of selection of insects when locally abundant (Fischer 1958). Bent (1940) also reported that insects are the principal prey items, including agricultural pests such as the potato beetle (Lema trilineata) and the tarnished plant bug (Lygus pratensis). Wanders a mile (1.6 km) or more from the nest when foraging (Fischer 1958). One individual was observed attempting to steal a dragonfly (Odonata) from the beak of a flying Purple Progne subis; Brown 1980). Water is obtained on the wing by skimming low over bodies of water (Oberholser 1974).

As insectivores chimney swifts affect insect populations throughout their range.

Chimney swifts are occasionally eaten by hawks and falcons.

Known Predators:

• hawks (Accipitridae)
• falcons (Falconidae)

Chaetura pelagica is prey of:
Accipitridae

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Chaetura pelagica preys on:
non-insect arthropods
Arthropoda
Insecta

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

MATE/SITE FIDELITY: Exhibits mate and site fidelity, and normally mates for life (Dexter 1951b, Dexter 1992). In Ohio, 84.5% of nesting swifts under observation retained the same mate when both returned for nesting, and 96% of the pairs that returned and nested together occupied the same air shaft used in the previous year (Dexter 1992). In New York, two pairs mated for three successive summers and five pairs mated for two successive summers (Fischer 1958). Sixty-two percent of banded adults returned to the New York study area and of these 70.5% returned to their previous nest site (Fischer 1958). In Kingston, Ontario, 9.7% of banded bird returned to the study area (Bowman 1952). One bird, banded at Rome, Georgia was subsequently captured at Kent, Ohio, then captured again at Rome (Dexter 1979). In New York, 11% of birds banded as nestlings returned to the study area, and 70% of these returned to their natal site to breed (Fischer 1958).

WEATHER: The time interval between visits to feed young increases at temperatures above or below 21-24 C, and on windy or rainy days (Zammuto et al. 1981). Most individuals leave the roost during light levels of 0-0.65 lux, and return to roost at light levels of 0-0.19 lux (Zammuto and Franks 1981). On cold, rainy mornings, emergence from the roost is either delayed or birds soon return after leaving. On windy days, birds leave the roost earlier and return later than on calm days (Zammuto and Franks 1981). Relatively cold or warm temperatures, wind, and rain all reduce flying insect abundance and apparently decrease swift foraging efficiency (Zammuto and Franks 1981, Zammuto et al. 1981).

POPULATION PARAMETERS: At Kingston, 177 banded swifts were still alive six years after banding (Bowman 1952). Annual mortality is estimated to be 50% (Fischer 1958). Lives to be 14 years old (Terres 1991).

Chimney swift calls are described as a twitter (Palmer and Fowler, 1975). The most common twitterings are accelerating and decelerating chipping (Chantler and Driessens, 2000).

Chimney swifts also are likely to use touch and vision in communication. They perceive their environment through vision, hearing, touch, and a weakly developed sense of smell.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic

A female chimney swift was recorded to have lived ten years (Dexter, 1956).

Range lifespan

Status: wild: 10 (high) years.

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 168 months.

Maximum longevity: 15 years (wild) Observations: Few animals live more than 4 years (John Terres 1980).

Chimney swifts are monogamous; records indicate that some chimney swifts will remain with the same mate for up to eight or nine years.

Mating System: monogamous

The breeding season for chimney swifts is from May to July. Nests are placed in the dark in chimneys and occasionally in hollow trees. The basket-like, half-cup nest consists of sticks and is secured to the wall of a chimney by secreted mucilage (saliva). It is usually at least 15.5 m off the ground, but this can vary greatly (Palmer and Fowler, 1975; Whittemore, 1981; Chantler and Driessens, 2000).

Three to seven white, somewhat glossy eggs are laid per clutch (Palmer and Fowler, 1975; Whittemore, 1981; Chantler and Driessens, 2000). Each egg is approximately 2.0 by 1.3 cm. Both parents incubate the eggs (Palmer and Fowler, 1975), and the incubation period is from 19 to 21 days (Chantler and Driessens, 2000). Females will cover the eggs or young at night. Nestlings may leave the nest 14 to 19 days after hatching, but the first flight typically occurs 30 days after hatching (Chantler and Driessens, 2000). Chimney swifts can have more than one brood per season, and will re-nest if the first nest and eggs are destroyed (Whittemore, 1981).

Some nesting colonies can be quite large, made up of thousands of individuals (Chantler and Driessens, 2000). The size of the nesting colony depends on the size of the roosting site; usually there are a few pairs to a few hundred birds in a colony (Dexter, 1969; Chantler and Driessens, 2000).

Breeding interval: Chimney swifts breed once yearly, but occasionally have more than one brood per season.

Breeding season: Breeding occurs from May to July.

Range eggs per season: 4 to 7.

Average eggs per season: 5.

Range time to hatching: 19 to 21 days.

Range fledging age: 14 to 19 days.

Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); fertilization

Average eggs per season: 4.

Young chimney swifts are altricial and are fed by both parents.

Sometimes birds other than the breeding pair will help feed and care for young, a behavior called extra-parental cooperation or cooperative breeding. Chimney swifts are known to form cooperative breeding groups of three to four birds. These groups may remain as a nesting unit throughout the season, sharing incubation, brooding, and feeding duties (Dexter, 1952; Chantler and Driessens, 2000). Records indicate that one colony had more than one-third of the breeding pairs form cooperative groups; there were 22 threesomes and 6 foursomes (Dexter, 1952).

Parental Investment: no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-fertilization; pre-hatching/birth (Protecting); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female)

Most individuals do not nest until two-years old (Dexter 1981a, Fischer 1958).

OVIPOSTION/INCUBATION: Eggs are laid from May through July (Terres 1991). Nests are constructed of dead twigs broken off trees while birds are in flight (Shelley 1929) and glued to the interior wall of a hollow anthropogenic or natural structures with saliva (Bent 1940, Fischer 1958). Old nests are rarely re-used (Dexter 1962, Dexter 1981b). Egg-laying begins when the nest is approximately half finished. Egg are laid every other day and incubation begins after the penultimate egg is laid. Clutch size typically ranges from 2-6 eggs (average = 4.3), but as many as 8 eggs have been found in one nest. Nests containing more than six eggs may be the result of oviposition by two females. Incubation typically takes 19 days, but ranges from 16-21 days. Will re-lay if first clutch is lost (Fischer 1958). One female, studied over a 10-year period, laid a total of 34 eggs (3-5 eggs per clutch, mean = 4.25, n = 8) and fledged 27 young (0-4 young per year, mean = 3, n = 9; Dexter 1956). Clutch size of first-year nesting females (2-5 eggs, mean 3.5) studied in Ohio was smaller than subsequent clutches (3-7, mean 4.1; Dexter 1981a). Both sexes incubate the eggs and brood and feed the young. An additional adult or two sometimes assist parents with incubation, brooding and feeding of young (Dexter 1952a, Fischer 1958). The extra adult is most often a male (Dexter 1952a, Dexter 1981a). Whereas extra adults enhanced nesting success of first-year nesting females, they had no influence on nesting success of older females (Dexter 1981a).

FLEDGING: Young leave the nest, but remain nearby, at 14-19 days old. Juveniles typically first fly 30 days after hatching.

NEST SUCCESS: Hatching success for 20 nests studied in New York was 90.7%, and fledging success, as defined as young that survived to fly outdoors, was 86% (Fischer 1958). Adults continue to care for young washed out of the nest and, in some cases, the young survive to fledge (Dexter 1952b).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species. 

 
There are 4 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
 

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 4
Species: 5
Species With Barcodes: 1

Chimney swifts have been described as being as peaceful as doves and always worthy of protection (Whittemore, 1981). They are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but are not listed by CITES, US ESA or the IUCN.

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N4B - Apparently Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

Comments: HABITAT CHANGE: In Texas, construction of homes without fireplaces and the screening of chimneys is thought to have slowed the expansion of the swift within the state (Oberholser 1974). Chimney screening and demolition of buildings (businesses, homes, silos) historically used for nesting/roosting can eliminate important habitat. The loss of historic roosts used by 1000s of individuals during fall migration could be devastating if alternate sites are unavailable. The surface of metal flue pipe emplaced within newly-constructed chimneys is too smooth for swifts to cling to, resulting in the entrapment and death of birds. PREDATION: Confirmed predators of adults include Mississippi Kites (Ictinia mississippiensis; Bolen and Flores 1993) and Sharp-shinned Hawks (Accipiter striatus; Bent 1940); nestlings are preyed upon by Rat Snakes (Elaphe obsoleta; Cink 1990). OTHER: Large flocks roosting in chimneys are sometimes accidentally killed. Between 3000 and 5000 swifts were killed in October in a chimney in Quincy, Illinois when the heat was turned on due to unseasonably cold weather (Bent 1940). Prolonged periods of wet, cold weather during the spring, which decrease flying insect abundance, can result in starvation (Bent 1940). Birds sometimes also starve during migration (Spendelow 1985). Threats on the wintering grounds are unknown.

Conservation Actions

Restoration Potential: Readily adapts to anthropogenic structures for nesting and roosting; therefore likely to establish in new or historic localities with the construction of buildings that provide sunlight-excluding, vertical, rough-surfaced shafts.

Preserve Selection and Design Considerations: Suitable nesting habitat includes appropriate nest structures (vertical shafts that exclude sunlight) and an abundance of flying insect prey. Minimum area requirements are unknown, although known to forage a mile (1.6 km) or more from the nest (Fischer 1958).

Management Requirements: Dark, vertical shafts having rough interior surfaces that facilitate roosting (e.g., chimneys, hollow trees) are essential for nesting and roosting. Chimneys with smooth surfaces (e.g., metal flue pipe) should be capped to prevent swift entrapment. Chimneys should be kept free of creosote (clean before birds return from wintering grounds) as creosote build-up increases the likelihood of nest detachment from the chimney wall. The chimney damper should be kept closed during the nesting season to prevent swifts from entering the building (Kyle and Kyle 1999).

Management Research Needs: Determining trends in the use of chimney screening and the construction of new homes having chimneys with rough interior surfaces would be useful in assessing breeding habitat availability. Need to study winter ecology, determine the influence of flying insect abundance and unseasonably cold or prolonged wet weather on reproductive success, and research design and construction of artificial nest sites. Need to identify important factors that regulate populations, including any impact the use of insecticides may have on reproductive success or survival.

Biological Research Needs: Winter ecology needs study.

There are no known adverse affects of chimney swifts on humans.

Chimney swifts are valuable as erradicators of insect pests.

Positive Impacts: controls pest population

Stewardship Overview: As determined by North American Breeding Bird Survey, population is declining, particularly at the northern edge of its range. Factors contributing to the decline are unknown, but could include loss of breeding structures, prolonged cold or wet weather that could result in starvation of nestlings, or unidentified threats on the wintering grounds. Reproduction requires a combination of suitable nesting habitat and an abundance of flying insects. Management includes retaining chimneys as habitat and the construction of artificial nesting/roosting structures. Need to implement population monitoring programs to supplement data collected during Breeding Bird Surveys.

Comments: May constitute a superspecies with C. vauxi and C. chapmani (AOU 1998).