Chimney Swift
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| Chaetura pelagica (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) is a small swift.
In flight, this bird looks like a flying cigar with long slender curved wings. The plumage is a sooty grey-brown; the throat, breast, underwings and rump are paler. They have short tails.
Their breeding habitat is near towns and cities across eastern North America. Originally, these birds nested in large hollow trees, but now they mainly nest in man-made structures such as large open chimneys. The nest is made of twigs glued together with saliva and placed in a shaded location.
They are long distance migrants and winter in eastern Peru; other nesting locations in South America may exist. They migrate in flocks. This species has occurred as a very rare vagrant to western Europe. the gregarious nature of this species is reflected in that two individuals of this species turned up together on the Isles of Scilly.
These birds live on the wing, foraging in flight. They eat flying insects. They usually feed in groups, flying closely together and making a high-pitched chipping noise. A vigilant observer can see them entering and exiting chimneys at breakneck speed, almost as if they were being shot out. Their flight is distinctive: they make rapid angular turns unlike most other birds. They are most often active at dusk, where they are frequently heard before they are seen.
Their population may have increased with the availability of large chimneys as nesting locations. With suitable man-made habitat becoming less common, their numbers may be declining in some areas.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Chaetura pelagica. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
