The Odd Backyard Tower With A Secret Mission

A Chimney Swift tower exemplifies that conservations efforts don’t always have to be complex. One structure (tower) in your yard, park, school or nature center becomes part of an ever-growing collection of nesting sites for Chimney Swifts.

When migrating, Chimney Swifts often congregate in massive flocks at communal roosting areas. Just prior to sundown you may witness hundreds or thousands of birds swirling above a chimney and then drop out of sight into the chimney for the night. Such experiences are unforgettable. The aerial spectacle resembles smoke drifting upward toward a chimney and then reversing direction as it disappears into the darkness.

While a solitary backyard nesting tower will never support tens-of-thousands of birds, even a single pair of birds successfully raising young each summer adds vitality to future summer skies.

Simple Structure Supporting a Major Purpose

The tower pictured sits quietly in a serene lawn with nearby trees and open grassland. Such surroundings seem fitting. Since Chimney Swifts feed airborne, they need ample airspace for hunting and they fly frequently. They do not need elaborate gardens. What they require are accessible areas of refuge from predators, safety from inclement weather and a willingness from neighbors to patiently tolerate their presence.

In addition to serving as an easily-accessible habitat for Chimney Swifts, a structure such as this also initiates conversations. Passersby notice it. Children ask questions. Neighbors ponder its intended purpose. Upon telling them that it serves as a haven for Chimney Swifts; the narrative unfolds: “You see the old chimneys? Trees used to serve as chimneys.” Afterward visitors learn about old chimneys, hollow trees, migration patterns and the birds that many have heard but seldom observed.

One of the primary values of a structure such as this is that it converts a remote section of your property into a reminder that wildlife continues to exist near us.

Returning Sounds of Summer

A backyard Chimney Swift tower is more than just another birdhouse; it is an extremely modest bridge spanning generations. The tower serves as a tribute to birds that made adaptations based upon human settlement. As structures continue to evolve once more today; we now have the opportunity to make adaptations on behalf of Chimney Swifts.

Using one tower alone allows you to offer shelter in your yard; however, utilizing multiple towers enables entire communities to help restore elements of what has been lost. If you are fortunate enough; as dusk approaches; you may hear (and see) swarms of swifts overhead, with their aerial songs echoing throughout the air and knowing that remnants of the “good old days” remain alive today.