Swifts in the City: Presentation and Roost Watch

Enjoying birds doesn’t always mean heading to the woods or shoreline. Join Michigan Audubon on August 22 at 7:30 p.m. for an in-depth look at Chimney Swifts, an urban bird species that has suffered steep population declines in recent decades.

Once nesting in caves, cliff faces, and hollow trees, this species has become dependent on man-made structures to simulate this habitat — most often opting for large chimneys. These aerial insectivores spend their days eating and bathing mid-flight, returning to the roost at night to sleep.

Michigan Audubon Conservation Program Coordinator Linnea Rowse will share a general overview of Chimney Swifts, causes for their declining population, ways you can help, citizen science projects, and more.

Following the presentation, we will caravan to a nearby roost, where you can observe hundreds of Chimney Swifts flocking together in a tornado-like formation before dropping into the chimney for the night.

This free event will begin at the Michigan Audubon office, located at 2310 Science Parkway, Suite 200, Okemos, MI 48864.

If you have any questions please contact Linnea Rowse at lrowse@michiganaudubon.org or 517-580-7364.