05/05/2026
See birds flying in and out of your chimney? 🕊️
They might be chimney swifts—and they need our help.
Report sightings. Protect their home.
It only takes a minute to make a difference.
Chimney swifts spend most of their lives in flight.
These migratory birds return to North Carolina each year from April to August, nesting and roosting in chimneys and other vertical structures. They can eat thousands of mosquitoes, flies, and gnats each day, making them natural pest control.
But their populations are declining.
Historically, chimney swifts nested in hollow, old-growth trees. As those disappeared, they adapted to chimneys. Now, modern building practices like chimney caps and gas heating are limiting those spaces too.
That’s where you come in. 👇
NC Wildlife Federation and NC Audubon are mapping where chimney swifts are nesting across the state to better understand their needs and create new habitat, like chimney swift towers.
If you see birds flying in and out of a chimney, silo, or similar structure, they may be chimney swifts.
Submit your sightings and help protect this species in decline.
