 |
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
Comments: What an amazing sight to see the entire sky swirling above you! In the fall, migrating Chimney Swifts put on just such a dramatic display at dusk, circling their chosen communal roost in an air duct or chimney. The ancestors of these birds once primarily used hollow trees for nesting and nightly roosts, but as cities sprang up across America, many of their favorite sights disappeared. The Chimney Swift, however, turned out to be quite an adaptable species. It took advantage of the many new man-made structures, and now uses them throughout its North American range.
Chimney Swifts are a common sight over many cities today. Sometimes called "cigars with wings" because of their flight profile, they glide with tremendous speed and grace, high above the busy world below. From the moment these birds leaves their roosts in the morning, they never land, feeding endlessly on airborne insects, swooping to drink water, even snapping off twigs for nesting material on the wing!
This photo was taken at the old bookbindery in the Hampden area of Baltimore, Maryland. The spectacle was so amazing that I couldn't begin to estimate how many birds were present that night, but the Baltimore Bird Club counted numbers approaching 5,000 late this summer. One woman stopped her minivan to ask what was going on, and couldn't believe her eyes. She watched the entire event and repeatedly told us it was the most amazing thing she'd ever seen.
Other Resources:
An excellent 19-page Smithsonian Institute Article