Difference between revisions of "Chimney Swifts in Connecticut"

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*Develop and initiate an effective monitoring program that can be replicated by the CTDEP and other state agencies throughout the region.<br>
 
*Develop and initiate an effective monitoring program that can be replicated by the CTDEP and other state agencies throughout the region.<br>
*Develop and test the effectiveness of a newly designed artificial nesting structure.<br>
+
*Develop and test the effectiveness of a newly designed artificial nesting tower.<br>
  
  
  
 
<span style="font-size: large">Biology and Conservation Status</span><br>
 
<span style="font-size: large">Biology and Conservation Status</span><br>
The Chimney Swift (''Chateura pelagica'') is an aerial insectivore that spends nearly all day on the wing, and roosts at night on sheltered, vertical surfaces.  Historically, the chimney swift roosted and nested in large hollow trees in the Northeast, but as European colonization removed most large trees and began constructing chimneys, the swifts took advantage of this new structure.  Chimney Swift nests are constructed from small twigs and saliva that are glued together on a vertical surface using saliva (see photo at right), forming a semicircular cup nest.<br> Swifts are a migratory bird and typically return to Connecticut during the final week of April, and nest throughout May and June.
+
The Chimney Swift (''Chateura pelagica'') is an aerial insectivore that spends nearly all day on the wing, and roosts at night on sheltered, vertical surfaces.  Historically, the chimney swift roosted and nested in large hollow trees in the Northeast, but as European colonization removed most large trees and began constructing chimneys, the swifts took advantage of this new structure.  Chimney Swift nests are constructed from small twigs and saliva that are glued together on a vertical surface using saliva (see photo at right), forming a semicircular cup nest. Suitable chimney nesting sites have declined over the past several decades as older chimneys are torn down, capped or lined.  Newly built chimneys are typically built with a liner and a cap designed to exclude animals.  Nest site limitation may be a factor in the observed population decline. Swifts are a migratory bird and typically return to Connecticut during the final week of April, and nest throughout May and June.
  
  
  
 
<span style="font-size: large">Artificial Nesting Structures</span><br>
 
<span style="font-size: large">Artificial Nesting Structures</span><br>
One of the main goals of this project is to design and deploy artificial chimney swift "towers".  Several organizations have published tower designs that have been demonstrated to successfully attract breeding swifts, but none of these designs have been empirically tested.  Although these tower designs have been successful, they can be expensive, labor intensive, and require significant skill to constuct.  We intend to develop and test a tower design that is: relatively inexpensive, easy to construct, moveable, and composed of materials that are easy to obtain.  A design that incorporates each of these traits is much more likely to be constructed and deployed by state agencies, conservation organizations, and private landowners.  
+
One of the main goals of this project is to design and deploy artificial chimney swift "towers".  Several organizations have published tower designs that have been demonstrated to successfully attract breeding swifts, but none of these designs have been empirically tested.  Although these tower designs have been successful, they can be expensive, labor intensive, and require significant skill to constuct.  We intend to develop and test a tower design that is: relatively inexpensive, easy to construct, moveable, and composed of materials that are easy to obtain.  A design that incorporates each of these characteristics is much more likely to be constructed and deployed by state agencies, conservation organizations, and private landowners.  Our towers have been installed in and around Storrs, and will be evaluated throughout the breeding season.  
  
  

Revision as of 19:03, 20 May 2008

Chimney swift, Indiana 2007 (1)
Swift nest, New York (2)
Watching Vaux's swifts - Portland, OR (3)
Chimney swift, Indiana 2007 (1)

Page under construction.....
The Chimney Swift Project is a joint venture between the Uconn Ornithology Research Group and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP). Chimney Swifts are a common sight in the skies of the Northeast throughout the spring and summer months, but populations have declined steadily over the last several decades across their entire range. In 2006, the CTDEP issued Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy aimed at guiding the state's conservation efforts over the next several years. A main tenet of this document is to "Keep common species common," to encourage a proactive approach to managing wildlife species that may become threatened in the future. The Chimeny Swift certainly fits this description, and with this project we hope to accomplish the following:


  • Develop and initiate an effective monitoring program that can be replicated by the CTDEP and other state agencies throughout the region.
  • Develop and test the effectiveness of a newly designed artificial nesting tower.


Biology and Conservation Status
The Chimney Swift (Chateura pelagica) is an aerial insectivore that spends nearly all day on the wing, and roosts at night on sheltered, vertical surfaces. Historically, the chimney swift roosted and nested in large hollow trees in the Northeast, but as European colonization removed most large trees and began constructing chimneys, the swifts took advantage of this new structure. Chimney Swift nests are constructed from small twigs and saliva that are glued together on a vertical surface using saliva (see photo at right), forming a semicircular cup nest. Suitable chimney nesting sites have declined over the past several decades as older chimneys are torn down, capped or lined. Newly built chimneys are typically built with a liner and a cap designed to exclude animals. Nest site limitation may be a factor in the observed population decline. Swifts are a migratory bird and typically return to Connecticut during the final week of April, and nest throughout May and June.


Artificial Nesting Structures
One of the main goals of this project is to design and deploy artificial chimney swift "towers". Several organizations have published tower designs that have been demonstrated to successfully attract breeding swifts, but none of these designs have been empirically tested. Although these tower designs have been successful, they can be expensive, labor intensive, and require significant skill to constuct. We intend to develop and test a tower design that is: relatively inexpensive, easy to construct, moveable, and composed of materials that are easy to obtain. A design that incorporates each of these characteristics is much more likely to be constructed and deployed by state agencies, conservation organizations, and private landowners. Our towers have been installed in and around Storrs, and will be evaluated throughout the breeding season.


Monitoring
The CTDEP has been conducting Chimney Swift surveys for the past several years, but would like to employ a survey scheme that


Public Education
There is great opportunity for public education throughout the duration of this project, and long into the future if the towers become a permanent fixture in the landscape.


Photo Credits:
(1) Michael Brown, 2007. http://www.flickr.com/photos/67383370@N00/518587619/ (2) Mon@rch: http://monarchbfly.com (3) Irene: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7791990@N04/1431355860/