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A Sight To See Chimney Swifts Come Home To Roost
Each summer evening Chimney Swifts gather in downtown Petoskey to drop into the chimney at the J.C. Penney building. In the daytime, these birds fly above us around Little Traverse Bay largely unnoticed. When sunset comes they put on a brief show as they gather and then plummet into their roosting place.
Petoskey Regional Audubon Society has held an annual Swifts Night Out for the past 15 years. Instead of a large organized event, this year the Audubon Society encourages the public to visit the Chimney Swift roosting spot at their own convenience. This natural phenomenon occurs nightly just after sunset. Chimney Swifts will appear to be dark gray or black against the evening sky. About the size of a swallow, they are jokingly referred to as “flying cigars” due to their tubular body shape.
The best viewing spot is the park on the west side of Howard Street where there is plenty of room to set up lawn chairs and gather at a safe physical distance. No special equipment is needed to see the birds. The bird chatter becomes more noticeable as they begin to assemble before sunset. Each night is different; but at some point the birds begin to fly closer and closer to the chimney until the first one drops in. From that point the birds may enter as a dribble of individuals and eventually a small cascade. Inside the chimney, they cling to the side and rest until morning.
During the day Chimney Swifts can be seen flying overhead as they catch insects. Once they leave their nighttime roost, the birds fly nonstop all day long. They eat insects in flight and will swoop low over water to take a quick sip. The birds are found all along Little Traverse Bay, especially near marinas, small bodies of water and above parks.
Visit the Petoskey Audubon Facebook page to see more photos and a video https://www.facebook.com/PetoskeyAudubon of Chimney Swifts taken this season. The Chimney Swifts can be seen nightly through early August. A direct link to the video here https://youtu.be/bPlsgX8Wiv8
Video
Date and Time
Wednesday Jul 1, 2020 Friday Jul 31, 2020
Check local sunset times. The birds will begin to assemble just before sunset.
Location
Corner of Howard and Mitchell Street, Petoskey, Michigan.
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