One of the 6 swifts on WAnimals
Birds · Caprimulgiformes · Apodidae
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The chimney swift is a small brown swift that has tied its fate to that of humans: it originally nested in hollow trees and today breeds almost exclusively in brick chimneys. Its population has fallen by more than sixty per cent in fifty years, and the main cause is the disappearance of those chimneys, which are demolished or lined with smooth metal.
Weight
17 g – 30 g
Size
12 cm – 15 cm
Lifespan
14 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Colony
Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- Its decline has a very specific cause: the brick chimneys it nests in are demolished or lined with smooth metal, and the bird cannot grip that surface. Artificial brick towers are now built specifically for them.
- Its migratory roosts are an urban spectacle: thousands of swifts spiral above a chimney at dusk and drop inside within minutes, a phenomenon that draws crowds of spectators in several North American cities.
- It cannot perch on branches or wires: its feet allow it only to cling to vertical surfaces, and it sleeps hanging inside the chimney.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Towns and cities of eastern North America; it nests in chimneys and hollow vertical structures
- Sexual maturity
- 12 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 20 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 4.5 (average)
Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 27 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Chimney Swift — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Gopher Tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus
Eastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
Black Swift
Cypseloides niger
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Smooth-billed Ani
Crotophaga ani
How to help
The chimney swift is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 10 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about chimney swift.
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