As spring arrives many birds are looking for a place to nest and roost. Chimney swifts are one of them. These small cigar shaped birds with their long wings and short tail feathers used to nest in hollow trees across North America. GMT Home Services has solutions to keep them from flying out of your home and your chimney safe and clean.
The Risks and Health Concerns of Chimney Swifts
Chimney swifts are migratory birds that have been exposed to many environments and can carry bacteria and parasites that can be transferred to people and pets. Their nests bring in dirt, twigs and insect parts into air vents of your chimney and can pose a risk to your home’s air quality. Plus chimney swift nests can be a fire hazard if left behind after breeding season. Regular chimney swift maintenance can minimize these risks and keep your home safe and clean.
What to Do if You Have a Chimney Swift Nest in Your Chimney?
If chimney swifts have already nested in your chimney, federal laws prevent any disturbance of the nest until the breeding season has concluded.The nesting cycle of a swift is relatively short; within six weeks, the young birds will be ready to fly and begin their fall migration. Once they’ve departed, scheduling a chimney inspection is essential. This will ensure your chimney is free of nesting debris and ready for use, helping to prevent future invasions and maintain chimney safety.
Steps to Remove Birds from Your Chimney
First confirm that what you’re hearing is actually birds. It’s easy to mistake bats or insects for birds since the sounds are similar. If the noise is during the day it’s likely birds, bats are nocturnal. If you see birds that look like chimney swifts (nicknamed “flying cigars” for their shape), let them be—they’ll likely leave within a few weeks once their young are ready to fly. If the noise persists beyond four to six weeks, it might be another bird species.
Here’s how to remove birds safely:
Identify and Locate: Confirm that birds are indeed in your chimney, and determine their exact location.
Prepare Supplies: For birds in the chimney itself, use a medium-sized cardboard box with a lid. For birds in the fireplace, have a bath towel, flashlight, broom, and possibly some bed sheets ready.
Using a Box: Place the box at the chimney opening, sealing any gaps to prevent the bird from flying into the room. Shine a flashlight on the box to attract the bird downward. Remain quiet, as noise can scare the bird away. Once the bird flies into the box, quickly cover it with the lid and take the box outside to release the bird.
If the Bird is in the Fireplace: Close all room exits except for one window or door, using bed sheets to block other openings if necessary. Gently sweep with the broom to encourage the bird to fly toward the open exit.
If you need help: We offers expert and humane bird removal and can inspect your chimney to prevent future nesting issues.
What Are Chimney Swifts, and Why Are They a Concern?
Chimney swifts (Chaetura pelagica) are unique birds known for their amazing flying and foraging skills, they catch insects in mid air and other small bugs. A breeding pair of chimney swifts will nest in chimneys or other vertical surfaces, they build their nests from twigs and saliva to attach to the walls. Once their nesting was limited to being nested in hollow trees, many swifts now use chimneys as their primary nesting site. Unlike most birds, chimney swifts attach to vertical walls in chimneys, making noise and leaving droppings which can be a health hazard in your home. And to make it more complicated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects these birds so it’s illegal to remove a chimney swift nest while the young are present.
Why Act Quickly to Prevent Chimney Swifts in Your Chimney?
Chimney swifts arrive in our chimneys in early spring to start nesting and roosting. Unfortunately many homeowners don’t realize they have swifts in the chimney until nesting and roosting is well underway. Once chimney swifts are in your chimney they can be difficult to manage since the Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits disturbing them until the baby chimney swifts, or young birds, have left the chimneys fall sometime in late summer or early fall. Without proactive chimney maintenance your chimney will become a favorite nesting spot for the swifts to return to every year.
Supporting Chimney Swift Conservation Around Your Home
Having native plants in your yard is a natural way to attract chimney swifts and other wildlife to natural habitats and reduce their interest in nesting in your chimney. Native plants support a healthy ecosystem and provide food and shelter for many bird species including swifts, swallows and hummingbirds. If you’re a chimney swift enthusiast consider installing a chimney swift tower. These specially designed structures provide a roosting site, a safe alternative to nesting material your chimney. A chimney swift tower will protect your home and help with the conservation of this amazing bird.
Steps to Keep Chimney Swifts and Other Birds Out of Your Chimney
To prevent chimney swifts from entering your chimney, start by inspecting the chimney opening and ensuring the chimney cap is intact and fits securely. Swifts, with their small and agile bodies, can slip through even minor gaps. Regular chimney inspections can catch issues early, whether it’s a damaged chimney cap, a cracked flue wall, or other weaknesses in the chimney structure. Our experts can repair or replace the cap, providing a secure barrier to keep chimney swifts and other species from nesting inside.
Keep Your Chimney Safe with GMT Home Services
Chimney swifts are a unique bird species that, while beneficial to the ecosystem, can pose issues for homeowners. With the decline of large, hollow trees due to urbanization and European settlement, chimneys have become an ideal nesting site for chimney swifts. Protect your home from these migrating birds and other wildlife with expert inspections, repairs, and installations from GMT Home Services. Call us today to learn how our team can keep your chimney swift-free, safe, and ready for use year-round.
FAQs
Are Chimney Swifts Endangered?
Chimney swifts are not endangered but their population is declining due to habitat loss. Historically they nested in large hollow trees but with urban development and loss of those natural habitats many swifts have adapted to chimneys. Preserving their population means conserving natural roosting sites and providing alternatives like chimney swift towers.
What Does a Chimney Swift Sound Like?
Chimney swifts have a high pitched chittering or twittering sound which is most noticeable at dawn and dusk. Their calls are rapid, repetitive and raspy, often described as a “ticking” noise that alerts homeowners to their presence. The sounds get louder during nesting season when baby chimney swifts start chirping.
What Does a Chimney Swift Eat?
Chimney swifts eat flying insects so they are great for controlling pests like mosquitoes, flies and gnats. They catch their prey in mid air and eat large quantities of flying insects daily which helps maintain ecological balance and can benefit homeowners by naturally reducing insect populations around their homes.
When Do Chimney Swifts Leave Their Nests?
Chimney swifts have a short nesting season. After about 6 weeks young swifts are ready to leave the nest. Most chimney swifts in chimney will finish their nesting season by late summer and then begin their fall migration to South America. Homeowners should schedule a chimney inspection in the fall to have the nest removed.
What is the migration pattern of chimney swifts?
Swifts travel from South America during their first winter and spring migration to breed in the eastern U.S. and Canada, sometimes roosting in communal groups of hundreds or thousands.
How Can I Prevent Chimney Swifts?
To prevent chimney swifts from nesting in your chimney make sure your chimney cap is installed and fitted properly. Chimney caps block entry points that chimney swifts nested in and other wildlife can use to nest. Regular chimney inspections and maintenance will identify and address any issues before the swifts arrive in the spring. You can also install a chimney swift tower nearby to provide an alternative roosting site and keep the swifts safe while preserving their habitat.
