Chimney swifts have suffered steep declines over recent decades, leading to their status as Near Threatened by BirdLife International. These urban birds nest and roost nearly exclusively in man-made structures (mainly chimneys, but also silos, artificial nesting towers, and natural tree cavities). Unfortunately, large roosts are often associated with old, historic buildings that are frequently torn down. By surveying these roosts, we hope to gather information to help support conservation of critical roosting structures in Michigan. Data shared with Michigan Audubon will be forwarded to the National Chimney Swift Conservation Association to contribute to international monitoring efforts. Learn more about our Chimney Swift conservation efforts.
Fall Migration Roost Surveys (A Swift Night Out)
Volunteers are needed to survey chimney swift roosts (mainly chimneys) across the state during fall migration. These surveys aim to gather information about where, when, and how many birds are roosting across Michigan. By surveying these roosts, we hope to gather information to help support conservation of critical roosting structures in Michigan.
For the official North American count, roosts are surveyed for at least one night during the second weekends in August and September (Friday – Sunday nights). At this time, Michigan Audubon is looking for any information on active roosts, so surveys done at any time are welcome. Surveys begin 30 minutes before sunset and end when the last swift enters the chimney. Learn more about the surveys, find data sheets, and enter survey data below.
Chimney swift roost survey protocol
Chimney swift roost data entry
Chimney swift roost data sheet (optional)