One of the highlights of Fall for local birders is the chimney swift migration in late September and early October. Large numbers of chimney swifts migrate along the Wabash River on their way south for the winter. Chimney swifts nest throughout eastern North America during the summer, and then spend the winter months in South American (Peru, Chile and the upper part of the Amazon basin). These small black birds are fast-flyers and have voracious appetites, eating up to 25,000 mosquito-sized insects a day. Like their name implies, they like to roost and build their nests in chimneys. In flight, they look a bit like bats, but unlike bats, they make a characteristic chittering noise during flight and they only fly during daylight hours. During migration time in Terre Haute, flocks of chimney swifts can be seen at dusk flying around large chimneys, such as the chimney at Zorah Shrine (420 N. 7th). The number of birds flying around one chimney can number in the hundreds, or even thousands. The swifts all fly in the same direction while circling, and individual birds drop from the circle into the chimney (where they will all roost for the night), creating the appearance of a dark swirling, chittering vortex. An amazing sight! Other birdwatchers (Friends of the Chimney Swift, Wake Audubon Society) have noted the interesting migratory/roosting behavior of these birds.

This page last modified 12/10/06