Howdy! It’s Joey, back with more Fun Fact Friyay. Today, we’re getting a little dirty, but it’s in a fun way.
Chimney Swifts can’t perch, so they cling to the walls of chimneys to rest.
As summer winds down, you’ve probably noticed a few things.
School is back in session. Kids are rocking backpacks and buses are chugging around the neighborhood.
The weather is getting cooler. We welcomed a cold front of the mid-80s this week, and it felt like walking into one of those large freezer areas in a convenience store.
Pumpkin spice lattes are popping up. It is too early for these drinks, of course, but don’t let the barrage of people clutching their cups and foaming at the mouth hear you say that.
Another end-of-summer/beginning-of-fall tradition is the migration of birds. They want to spend the winter in warmer climates, and they pilgrimage across state and country lines. One of those birds is the Chimney Swift (no relation to Taylor).
These birds sure do love flying, though it’s somewhat by design. Their long claws leave them unable to perch, so they can only cling to the walls of vertical surfaces, such as chimneys, caves, cliffs, and hollow trees.
As All About Birds notes, when migrating, “thousands of swifts roost together in chimneys, funneling into them at dusk in spectacular tornado-like flocks.”
These big ol’ roosts have a practical effect, as the temperature of a Chimney Swift roost can get up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the outdoor temps.
Aside from roosting and nesting, these birds do everything else in the air. To bathe, they’ll cruise down to the water and cannonball into the surface to get wet, then shake their feathers as they fly away to dry off.
With its soot-y color and long body, the Chimney Swift has earned the delightful nickname of the Flying Cigar.
Sadly, Chimney Swift populations have been declining because chimneys aren’t as common as they once were. But good conservation efforts are underway, and even sans chimney, you can build a nesting tower—here’s how.
That sounds like a lovely DIY project to me. Next time you peek up at the sky, see if you notice a lil’ cigar-shaped bird living it up.
Oh geez, now I’m worried about swifts funneling like a tornado into my pumpkin spice latte!