NLDC Bird Club’s Chimney Swift Project

by: Jim Krakowski

The Chimney Swift (CHSW) population has been on the decline since the mid-sixties.  The population has dropped more than 65%.  Ninety-nine percent of the breeding occurs in the US, the other 1% in southern Canada. They winter in northwestern South America.  Loss of roosting/nesting sites is believed to be the cause in this decline.  Loss of old-growth trees (hollowed out snags); plugging and destruction of large, brick chimneys; change to narrow, metal-lined chimneys (CHSW can’t cling on them); and the transition to heating with electric and gas have all contributed to this bird’s decline.

Chimney Swifts are unique little birds. They cannot perch or stand, instead they must cling to a vertical surface to rest. Chimney Swifts are active flyers all day long.  Even the twigs they gather for nest material are broken from branches on the fly!  Their nest is a half cup of twigs glued from the bird’s saliva to the inside of a vertical shaft;  Swifts feed exclusively on flying insects and a single CHSW will eat more than 1,000 mosquito-sized insects each day.  We certainly need more of these birds in northern Wisconsin!  

The National Audubon Society, the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, and Bird City Wisconsin are all requesting people to do what they can to help this species.  The North Lakeland Discovery Center Bird Club stepped up to the plate in 2014.  The Bird Club initiated a project to help the CHSW as part of its 2014 Manitowish Waters - Bird City Wisconsin project proposal.  The project has earned a Bird City Wisconsin "High Flyer" rating for the Town of Manitowish Waters.  The project: construct a 12' wooden tower to serve as a roosting and nesting site for the CHSW. The Club followed the design guidelines of the Paul and Georgean Kyle book “Chimney Swift Towers – A Construction Guide”.  This book explains how to build such a tower and people all over the country are building them.  There are only 11 towers at present in WI; our tower will be the furthest north.  There are more than 100 towers in Minnesota.  The NLDC Chimney Swift tower will serve as a model for others in the Northwoods, who want to help this unique, little bird.

Many Bird Club members were involved in the construction.  Jim Krakowski acquired the materials and did some initial construction.  Isabella Weiss designed the artwork for the outer tower skin with help from Cynthia Krakowski.

Figure 1.  Cynthia Krakowski (left) and Isabella Weiss painting swift silohuettes.

Figure 2.  Bird Club President John  Randolph and Board member Carne Andrews mixing.  Three wheelbarrows were used to mix 21 bags of sacrete.

The concrete foundation work was accomplished on Wednesday, 7/9/14, and required most of the muscle.  But Club members showed up in force and this portion was completed in the morning.  After waiting two days for the concrete to harden, the Club members met again on Saturday, 7/12/14, and completed the project.

Figure 3.  Crew for the foundation work

igure 4.  Ladder-work was required for the 12' tower.

Many thanks to the NLDC’s Ryan Wahlgren: he was a major player in construction on both days.
The Bird Club is aware this year’s nesting season is for the most part over, but swifts may discover the tower and use it for roosting later this summer.   However, there are not that many swifts in the area.  There are definitely Chimney Swifts living in Minocqua and Ashland;  and the Bird Club saw a single bird fly over the Presque Isle ponds on a June field trip.   Even if we are not successful at immediate occupancy, the tower will still serve as an education tool and model for others that are interested in building a tower or curious about the life history of this bird.  For those who would like more information about the Chimney Swift or how to build a Chimney Swift Tower contact the North Lakeland Discovery Center (877-543-2085) or  www.discoverycenter.net.

Figure 5.  Completed CHSW Tower.  Bring on the swifts!!