THE "OTHER BIRDS" PAGE
"To describe a few of the more interesting or unusual birds that, "Once seen/heard, are never forgotten!"
Chimney Swift| Kingfisher| Nuthatch| Ovenbird| Killdeer| Black-crowned Night Heron
Common Swift of Europe| Clark's Nutcracker| Barn Swallow| The Dippers
These are birds that you will certainly hear before seeing and then you may need a pair of binoculars to see them as only silhouettes against the sky. They usually fly in groups of three or more and certainly can be observed "from one's balcony". I have heard/seen these birds in various parts of Toronto, usually near parks such as the Alexander Muir park on busy Yonge Street as well as the Guild Inn on Scarborough Bluffs. I have also seen a number of them in Guelph, Ontario.
Quoting from one of the references:
"Before European settlers arrived 300 years ago, swifts used old hollow trees to congregate and build their nests. Unable
to perch or stand upright, swifts roost by clinging to vertical surfaces. As the Eastern woodlands gradually disappeared,
swifts survived by adapting, choosing chimneys and air shafts in which to build their nests."
The birds are now comfortable around cities and towns when they can find communal roosting sites in various man-made structures that provide a sheltered vertical surface to which they can cling and attach their nests.
There appears to be little specific information about this bird from Canadian sources on the Internet, however I did find two excellent US sources in Texas, namely "Texas Parks and Wildlife" and "Driftwood Wildlife Association". The population of chimney swifts in Texas must be much greater than in Canada and hence the heightened awareness and concern for conservation of this bird in that region. I did find one Canadian connection - The Robie Tufts Nature Centre in Wolfville, Nova Scotia that provides a roosting/nesting chimney and an interpretive centre.
Links to the various organizations are provided in the References part of this page.
In the USA, the Texas Parks and Wildlife site consists of a Chimney Swift fact sheet along with three additional links on Chimney Swift conservation.
In addition to comprehensive written information, the Fact Sheet page provides two pictures looking down on a nest that has been attached to the surface of a wall. The birds cannot perch upon a branch like other birds but must roost by clinging to the rough wall of a hollow tree or "chimney". The upper picture of the bird on the nest provides a good idea of the bird's broad wingspan relative to the length of its body.
The three other monographs address methods of conservation of the species. They are inter-linked for convenience.
The Driftwood Wildlife Association (DWA) is a non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to promoting research and providing community education in the areas of wildlife rehabilitation and avian natural history. The Association stresses the importance of providing chimneys for these birds and also the important part that Chimney Sweeps can play in this effort while at the same time enhancing the Chimney Sweep business.
CANADA: THE ROBIE TUFTS NATURE CENTRE
The numbers of these birds at sites in Wolfville are phenomenal! Following is a record of sightings, in 1998, quoted from the Blomidin Naturalists society of Wolfville.
"CHIMNEY SWIFT -- After the first arrival of 35 birds on May 16 (JT), numbers at the Front St. chimney had built up
as follows (JCT) - In Wolfville at Robie Tufts Nature Centre:-
The report was by Richard Stern,of Kentville, July 7 1998
THE SOUNDS OF THE CHIMNEY SWIFT
To spot these birds one needs to become familiar with their "voice". The sound is very distinctive and relatively easy to remember, but somewhat dificult to hear for the first time.
There is an mp3 "song" file provided by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in the reference links that follow.
Fact sheet Texas Parks and Wildlife "Fact Sheet".
Challenge Chimney Swift "Conservation Challenge".
Habitat Providing Nesting Habitat ("Chimneys").
Tips Chimney Swift Conservation Tips.
Driftwood Driftwood Wildlife Association (Chimney Swift section).
Song Chimney Swift sounds from US Geological survey (USGS).
(USGS)
US Geological survey Chimney Swift information (contains the same "song" file).
Hilton pond
THIS WEEK at HILTON POND" A very interesting webpage describing fledgling swifts fallen down into a fireplace, complete with excellent photographs. Look further into the website as it discusses various naturalist subjects of the South Carolina section of the "Piedmont plateau". it also includes the banding of Hummingbirds.
The Piedmont, which extends from Long Island NY to northern Alabama, lies between the Coastal Plain and Appalachian/Blue Ridge mountains. It is marked by gently rolling hills, lots of tributaries, and--especially in the Southeast--by red clay.
Apodidae
University of Michigan "Animal diversity website". The swifts belong to the family "Apodidae". This site has a wealth of information including many photographs.
Sweeps Chimney Sweeps and Saving the swift
Swift
Swift from Robie Tufts book:
"Birds of Nova Scotia"
BNS
The Blomidin Naturalists Society.
Swift sightings for the year 2001 are documented
here
(The above reprinted here with the kind permission of the Jefferson State website.)
A tribute and
dedication
to Brian Helsaple is provided within the Jefferson State website - This historic website including the State of Jefferson Scenic Byway along the Klamath River on Highway 96 as well as more of Mr. Helsaples birding narratives are well worth a visit.
Fact sheet from the University of Michigan.
This Swift is such a remarkable bird that I thought it worth mentioning here although one must travel to Europe to see it. Here is an excellent website by
Ulrich Tigges of Berlin. The Berlin swifts winter in Africa.
The "discussion forum" of Ulrich Trigges site provided much interesting information, including:
Apus flight A spectacular photo of a Common Swift in flight. The photograph is from the Netherlands where the bird is known as
Gierzwaluw. Since I have had great difficulty getting a response from the site, I have taken the liberty of providing a copy of the photograph (with apologies to the source).
here
.
THE CHIMNEY SWIFT
"Visitors From Peru"
Fri - June 5 : 511
Sat - June 6: 433
Sun - June 7: 305
Mon - June 8: 365 (8.54- 9.35pm)
Due to the build-up of numbers of swifts in Wolfville, Bill and Brenda Thexton with Gerry Trueman, drove to
Middleton last night to see what was happening in the High School chimney (behind Tim Horton's) and were
pleased to find the numbers to be even more impressive! Mon - June 8 -- 639. There seemed to be a few in the air over
Kentville every evening in June."
The western or Vaux's swift:
Sleeping hideouts, by Brian Helsaple
"The specks captured in the photo came from a spectacular, donut shaped swarm of Vaux's Swifts seeking nighttime shelter in a huge brick chimney. This traditional roost site in Happy Camp, California was occupied for an entire week mid May 1998 when weather turned unseasonably cold. Over 400 birds circled and chirped for an hour while crowding into the old chimney. Their exodus each morning was equally spectacular. The brick building is located at the west end of town and was built in 1861 to serve as a supply store.The swifts are opportunists and seek shelter in any vertical opening. Chimneys with six-inch metal flue pipes are often times used. The birds get trapped if there is no build up of soot to provide toenail grips for climbing out.The bird's affinity for chimney pipe explains their nest site choices in the forest. Hollow, burnt out trees are abundant in the Klamath NationalForest and therefore provide easily recognized opportunities for nest observation."
THE COMMON SWIFT OF EUROPE
