Inside the chimney

Needing some more Chimney Swifts in your life?

For anyone who is in Chimney Swift withdrawal, take a look at this video posted by Paul Kyle on Youtube. Paul and Georgean Kyle are directors of the Chimney Swift Conservation Association, wrote a book (Chimney Swifts: America’s Mysterious Birds above the Fireplace) and designed a Chimney Swift tower used by organizations across North America. As you can see, they are very active in the Chimney Swift conservation community.

Whether you are a “landlord” to a swift family in your chimney, or an MCSI monitor, we spend a lot of time during the spring and summer wondering just what is happening inside the chimneys! In this short video we follow the story of a Chimney Swift family through the breeding season from nest building to the first flights by the young swifts. A video camera was placed in an artificial tower at the Chaetura Canyon Chimney Swift Sanctuary in Texas to follow the goings-on of two swifts (Twig and Timber). Some of the behavioural aspects of the nesting process were of particular interest to me, as it is amazing to see this behaviour that I had previously only read about. Take a watch and let us know what you think! Are there any aspects of the life of swifts inside the chimney that were new to you?

You may also view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OuZWvyCcCI&t=251s

(The video runs just over 13 minutes and has English audio with French subtitles.)

–Amanda Shave