Chimney Swift Towers: New Habitat for America's Mysterious Birds

A Conservation Plan Using Multiple Towers

Building Chimney Swift Towers 82 A Conservation Plan Using Multiple Towers CHIMNEY SWIFTS are very social birds except when nesting is involved. A large tower may attract multitudes of swifts, but there will only be one active nest per structure per year. For multiple nests, multiple towers are required. Our research indicates that nest sites should be at least 10 ft. apart. A good conservation plan for the use of multiple towers is to follow the evolution of Chaetura Canyon, where much of the research on tower design has taken place. We began with two large towers to accommodate two nesting pairs and a roost or migratory flock. A single large tower would also be suffcient. Once the original towers were adopted by swifts, smaller “satellite” towers were added as space and time allowed. Chimney Swifts typically return to a successful nest site year after year with the same mate— and so do their offspring. The year-old birds will seek out nesting sites of their own, and their search begins in the familiar area of their nursery tower. Newly constructed towers in the area are usually appropriated the first spring after they are erected. Where there are multiple towers, the full range of aerial acrobatics can be observed as the swifts interact with each other. Individuals will tumble from above and stall over a neighbor’s tower for a glimpse of the nest, eggs, and young within; play- Conservation Plan 83 ful chases and kiting behavior may be seen as well as the trademark courtship “V,” with wings held up by gliding mated pairs. When the young swifts fledge, the real fun begins as they explore the world outside their nursery towers. Soon there will be “tagging” of both inanimate objects and startled perching songbirds. And of course, there is the cheerful chippering and chattering that is so commonly associated with frolicking Chimney Swifts. ...