Chimney Swift Nesting (Behavior, Eggs + Location)

Chimney Swift (Pelagic algae) is a charming and cute little bird from the ape family. One of only four American species, they are the only swifts that bird watchers can see in the eastern half of the United States and Canada. Have you ever wondered where and how these swifts build their nests?

Chimney swifts are named for their habit of nesting in chimneys. In wilderness areas, these hummingbird relatives will find nesting opportunities in hollow trees. Both parents help build the nest and raise four or five young.

Chimney swifts have benefited from the development of North America over the past few centuries by adding abundant nest sites.

However, the species is currently in decline. Concerned birders can help birds in their area by erecting chimney swift nest towers.

This article introduces Chimney Swift’s nesting idioms. Read on to learn how these sky masters build their unusual lairs in North American homes.

A large flock of chimney swifts nesting in a chimney

nest location

Chimney swifts overwinter in the Amazon basin in South America and return to the eastern half of the United States each spring to nest. One or both swifts in a pair will scout the nesting site before starting to build.

Where Do Chimney Swifts Nest?

Chimney swifts nest in dark and sheltered places with vertical walls. They love chimneys, but they will nest in:

natural attractions

• tree hole
• hollow tree
• cave

artificial field

• chimney
• wells
• abandoned building
• Barns, silos and outbuildings

Do chimney swifts nest in chimneys?

Chimney swifts have nested in North American chimneys for hundreds of years. Most pairs now nest in chimneys, although many nest elsewhere in buildings or use natural tree cavities and burrows.

Do chimney swifts nest in the same place every year?

Chimney swifts typically use the same habitat and nest year after year.

Do Chimney Swifts Nest in Backyards?

Chimney swifts are more likely to nest in your home or on the structure of your property than in your backyard. However, these swallow-like birds use backyards with suitable nests, such as specially made nest boxes.

Chimney swifts catch insects in flight

Do chimney swifts use nest boxes?

Chimney swifts readily use nest boxes, although these structures are different from your regular birdhouse. The most effective nest boxes are made of wood with grooves on the inside, giving birds a place to buy and secure their nests.

These nest boxes are called towers. They consist of a tall column with ventilation near the top entrance and smooth outer walls to deter predators such as snakes and raccoons.

What tree do chimney swifts nest in?

Chimney swifts still nest in trees in areas without chimneys. However, chimneys and other man-made structures are of course favored.

A 2014 review found that chimney swifts nest and roost in no fewer than 13 species of live, dead or dying coniferous and deciduous trees. Suitable trees are usually large and hollow or have cavities.

Chimney swifts are known to nest in the following tree species:

• cypress
• white pine
• yellow birch
• sycamore tree
• maple

How tall is the Chimney Swift nest?

Chimney Swift nest heights vary depending on the nature of the nest structure. In Kansas chimneys, most nests are built about 10 feet (3 m) below the entrance. The average height of the 25 roosting and nesting trees is 42 feet (12.7 meters).

Chimney Swift Nesting Tower

Nest Appearance

Chimney Swift’s lairs are not easy to spot as they are well hidden. This is what they look like.

What does a Chimney Swift nest look like?

The Chimney Swift Nest is saucer-shaped with flat sides and can be attached to a wall or other vertical structure. The leading edge of the nest is usually lower than the rear attachment point, creating a sloping or hanging effect. Chimney swift nests have a rough appearance due to the large diameter of the branches used.

How big is the Chimney Swift nest?

Chimney Swift’s nests are small, and the chicks are often fully grown before they are ready to become independent.

Chimney Swifty Nest Dimensions:

• Horizontal width: 4 inches (100mm)
• From the width of the wall: 2 – 3 inches (50 – 75mm)
• depth: 1 inch (25mm)

What type of nests do Chimney Swifts build?

Chimney swifts can be called cavity nesters. They build small saucer-shaped or shallow cup-shaped nests.

Perched chimney swift returns to nest at night

phenology

Chimney swifts visit both the United States and Canada each year to nest and raise their young. Read on to find out when their breeding season is.

What time of year do chimney swifts nest?

Chimney swifts begin nesting in spring or summer. In Texas, nesting begins in late April. Further north in Canada, nesting may end by early June.

How Long Do Chimney Swifts Nest?

It usually takes about two and a half months for Chimney Swift to build a nest. Nest building can take up to a month, and chicks reach flight age relatively slowly for a bird of their size. Read on for a timeline of Chimney Swift nesting.

• nest: 18 to 30 days
• lay eggs: about a week
• incubation: 19 to 20 days
• fledgling: 30 days

What month do chimney swifts lay eggs?

Most chimney swifts lay their eggs in March or June. Times vary slightly by latitude.

Where do chimney swifts nest in winter?

Chimney swifts are migratory birds that do not build nests in the northern winter. They winter in countries such as Chile, Brazil and Peru in the western half of South America.

Chimney Swift Towers, Nesting and Roosting in a Nature Preserve in West Central Florida

nest

Building a solid nest against a vertical wall can be quite a challenge. Read on to learn their secrets.

How do chimney swifts build their nests?

Chimney swifts collect twigs by snapping them off in flight. They do most of their construction work in the afternoons and evenings. Chimney swifts develop larger salivary glands during nesting season, and they use this sticky substance to hold twigs in place while nesting.

What do chimney swifts use to build their nests?

Chimney swifts make their nests from twigs and stick them together with their sticky saliva. They use whatever branches are readily available in their area.

Is the nesting male or female chimney swift?

Both male and female chimney swifts work in the nest. Each bird collects its own material, locates it, and secures it with saliva before returning to the nest.

Chimney Swift Eggs

Most birders never see the eggs of chimney swifts because they are used to nesting in dark and inaccessible places. Read on to learn more about Chimney Swift eggs.

What do Chimney Swift eggs look like?

Chimney swifts lay glossy white eggs a little over three-quarters of an inch long and a little over half an inch wide (20.5 x 13.5 mm).

How many eggs do chimney swifts lay?

Chimney swifts usually lay four to five eggs. However, some nests contain as few as two or as many as seven eggs.

Do male chimney swifts sit on eggs?

Both males and females form the brood area. They sit on the eggs for about 19 days, incubating for 10 to 200 minutes in turn. The hatching birds will wait until their mates let go.

fledgling and parental care

Baby swifts hatch into tiny, pink, helpless chicks. One bird incubates the eggs during the day, and at night both parents share the nest with the growing chicks.

When do little chimney swifts leave the nest?

Young swifts leave the nest when they are 14 to 19 days old. As their nests grow, they are forced to cling to the walls. Naturally, this happens faster in nests with larger broods.

Young swifts don’t fly until they are nearly a month old. This means they may spend almost two weeks outside the nest.

How many nests do chimney swifts have?

Chimney swifts usually produce one nest per year. However, some pairs have a second litter.

common problem

Do chimney swifts abandon their nests?

Each year, chimney swifts abandon their nests before migrating south for the winter. They rarely reuse their nests, so cleaning and servicing the chimney after the birds have left won’t affect them.

Do chimney swifts nest on the ground?

Chimney swifts do not build nests on the ground. They have relatively specific nesting requirements, and as their name suggests, most nest in pairs in chimneys.

Where Do Chimney Swifts Nest at Night?

Chimney swifts inhabit hidden burrows such as chimneys and hollow trees. They roost in pairs during the breeding season, and both parents sleep in the den until the space becomes too small. They roost together the rest of the year.

How to Attract Nesting Chimney Swifts?

You can attract nesting chimney swifts by not covering the chimney or by erecting chimney swift nest towers.

Can you escape Chimney Swift’s lair?

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects nesting chimney swifts. It is illegal to disturb their nests during the breeding season. However, you can remove the nest after the chicks have developed their wings.