As the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources gears up for the annual migration of the chimney swifts, they are calling on volunteers to assist in the count of these dwindling birds. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, together with the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group, is organizing Swift Night Out, a campaign that urges citizen scientists to record the number of these birds roosting in chimneys during their southward journey to the Amazon. According to a statement obtained by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the observation window spans from mid-August to early September.
Chimney swifts have lost 72% of their population in the last 50 years. They used to nest in dead trees, but as forests changed and trees were removed, they adapted by using chimneys in cities across Wisconsin. However, modern building changes are reducing the number of chimneys they can use, which may be adding to their decline. During migration, swifts often gather in large groups at dusk, circling school and church chimneys before settling in for the night, as reported by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Identifying chimney swifts can be an engaging task for would-be volunteers. The birds can be recognized by their slender bodies and long curved wings; they resemble a flying cigar or boomerang and make high-pitched chittering sounds. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources explains that unlike bats, which also may roost in chimneys but exit at dusk, chimney swifts are the only birds that will enter and spend the night there. Monitoring these birds involves observers watching and counting the swifts as they dip into chimneys, generally 20 minutes before sunset until about 10 minutes after the last swift has made its way inside.
The process of counting is straightforward, requiring no ornithological expertise. Volunteers simply estimate the numbers entering, using techniques like batch counting or even a hand-held clicker counter for accuracy. The gathered information is a critical piece to conservation efforts, as it helps pinpoint vital roost sites and informs strategies to protect the birds. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources encourages participants to share their data through the eBird platform, an online citizen science database for bird observation records.
For those interested in learning more about the biology, migration patterns, and conservation of chimney swifts, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will host a free, online presentation on August 19. The talk, titled "Mighty Migrations: The Chimney Swift," will feature Dr. Steffanie Munguía.
