Join us as we watch one of our favorite urban birds, Chimney Swifts, work themselves up into their nightly “swiftnado,” and then count the number of individuals who enter the roost. We will meet at the downtown courthouse at the North side stairs at 6 p.m. and begin with a brief introduction to swifts and why chimneys are important to them. There are three known chimneys in downtown Huntsville and we can visit them all (all are within walking distance).
Bring your binoculars! We will have a limited number of binoculars on hand for those who need them. All ages and abilities welcome!
After these aerial acrobats have fledged their young and cleared out their nests, the entire North American population makes its way south to winter along the remote headwaters of the Amazon River. On their way there, they congregate in huge roosting flocks with as many as two or three thousand birds sharing a single chimney—numbers that make for a tremendous spectacle when they all pour into the tiny opening at once. To learn more about Chimney Swifts, visit www.chimneyswifts.org.