I love reading all these posts about adventures with Chimney Swifts.
Chimney Swifts have always captivated me. When visible, they are constantly
in motion, making it impossible to learn anything about the way the bird
really looks. When I first got interested in birds, the fact that the
illustration of the bird in my field guide was absolutely atrocious only added to the
intrigue.
A few years ago, I was working at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory's
songbird banding station when we captured a Chimney Swift; a rare occurrence to say
the least, since the birds tend to keep to the air and not drop down into the
range of a 12 foot high mist net. We believe the bird may have been
roosting in a large dead cottonwood tree near the mist net it was captured in.
On the wing, the bird is 100% mystery in motion, never pausing to allow
study of any detail. In the hand, the bird is one of the most unusual creatures I
have ever encountered. I have banded thousands of warblers, vireos,
thrushes, et cetera, and have spent, what I'm sure by now, amounts to hours with my
mouth hanging open in all-out awe of the up-close beauty of birds like
Blackburnian Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, and Marsh Wren. But, I have to tell you that,
for me, nothing has come close to that little Chimney Swift.
The bird is so perfectly constructed for its life style. Gracefully,
beautifully long wings, that even with the bird held still in my hand, seemed to
imply motion. Its face is lovely, yet almost reptilian in appearance. Large
eyes in a smallish head, with a bill that is so tiny as to almost be
unnecessary. But, when that bill opens….Yowza! What a pie hole this bird displays.
Perfectly designed for sucking up insects out of the air. Out of the bird’s
tail sprouted the sharpest, needle-like spines that any porcupine would surely
have been jealous of! Not just bizarre and cool, these spines have a purpose.
The bird uses them to prop itself against the inside of its nest cavity.
But, most surprising and delightful for me, was the color of the bird’s
plumage. What a total shock. Not a single field guide does this bird justice,
and, while I understand the rationale behind it -- shown from a birder's
perspective since that’s the way it's typically seen -- it seems a shame not to at
least give a teasing glimpse into the real story here. The Kaufman guide
comes close, showing a bird perched on the side of a tree, but in the hand, in
the right light, WOW…What a gorgeous little bird this is. Appearing solid,
sisterhood-gray in the sky, up close the color is a shocking blend of subtle
purples, greens, blues, and grays, all stirred together in the most striking
color combination that I’m sure is next to impossible to blend on even the most
skilled artist’s palette.
The Columbus Audubon (CA) website (newly revamped and pretty impressive)
includes information about Chimney Swifts, and I believe that CA's, Darlene
Sillick, a fellow, crazed Chimney Swift fan, is working on a blog about her
adventures with a huge Chimney Swift roost near Dublin. Check it out here:
_Click here: What Just Zipped Into My Chimney?_
(http://www.columbusaudubon.org/production/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=191&Itemid=110)
Good birding, as if there’s any other kind….
Kim Kaufman
Chimney Swift Appreciation Society : )
**************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog,
plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.
(http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014)
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