Together Green Grant Awarded: One of 48 newly-announced TogetherGreen national innovation grants will help power a partnership between Merrymeeting Audubon and the Town of Brunswick to create an improved roosting structure for the swifts that also fits into the school’s plan to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. For more see Together Green.

The swifts which migrate through Brunswick, Maine on their way to breeding areas to the north have lost their roosting place. The chimney at the old Brunswick High School is was demolised on August 4 preliminary to building a new elementary school.

Once inhabitants of old growth forests, Chimney Swifts are now dependent on the built landscape and are in very sharp decline nationwide. Brunswick has the biggest roost currently known in Maine, comprising about 10% of the state's population.

Fortunately, Brunswick recognized the presence of the chimney swifts and has reserved space for a replacement roost on the site of the Old High School when the new elementary school is constructed. The funding to do so is to be raised through private fundraising.

We encourage everyone to become part of this unique project. Tax-deductible donation can be sent to

Merrymeeting Audubon Society

PO Box 544

Bath, ME 04530

2009 Chimney Swift Update: Chimney down

August 1: ~100 Chimney Swifts descended into the chimney during their fall
migration.
August 4: The chimney was demolished at 4:00 am. That evening ~75 swifts
were seen in the area of the former chimney. Their roosting place was not
determined.
August 5: ~25 swifts appeared to enter the remaining structure to roost on a
remaining standing wall.

Architect's Rendering with Replacement Swift Chimney

Video of the Brunswick Swifts can be found at Swift Video.

For additional information questions or comments, contact Ted Allen at 729-8661 or email merrymeeting@maineaudubon.org.

SWIFT PHOTOS AND PROJECTS

Chimney Swift in Flight

The Chimney Swift is a small bird only 5-6 inches in length with a wing span of 11-12 inches. They weight about an ounce or slightly less.

Wintering in the Amazon Basin of South America, Chimney swifts return to breeding sites in the US and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains.

For more information about Chimney Swifts, go to All About Birds.

Migration Roosts

Large numbers of swifts roost together in a single large chimney or air shaft during migration and in the non-breeding season.

This roost is in the Chaetura Canyon in Texas.

The advent of modern chimneys with smooth interiors have reduced the number of available roosting sites.

Nesting Towers

Maine Audubon recently added a Chimney Swift Nesting Tower at Gilsland Farm. Built and donated by Andre Bellucci, the tower was shingled and installed by Maine Audubon staff and volunteers in April. Photo left.

Before European colonization, Chimney Swifts likely nested in hollow trees and caves. With deforestation and settlement, swifts adapted to nesting in brick chimneys.

Modern chimney construction results in smooth interiors which are not useable by swifts as nest sites and may have contributed to this species' rapid decline. Projects such as Maine Audubon's seek to restore some of that nesting habitat.

SWIFT NUMBERS

Former Brunswick High School Chimney

2008		2009
May 5	5	May 8	20
May 7	16	May 11	~140
May 8	30	May 13
May 10	15
May 15	47
May 16	25
May 17	34
May 18	11	May 18	~100
May 19	11
May 20	~150	May 20	~100
May 21	~250	May 21	~120
May 22	>210
May 24	>200	May 23	~125
May 25	~200	May 25	~125
May 26	~180	May 26	~160
May 27	~165	May 29	~400
May 29	~120	May 30	~330
June 5	~140	June 3	~150
June 7	~105	June 6	~75
June 9	~75	June 8	~90
June 11	~65
June 13	~70
June 15	~50	June 15	~55
June 18	~55
June 24	~55	June 24	~45
July 14	~60	July 10	~45
		July 23	~50
		July 27	~55
August 2	0	August 1	~100
		August 4	~75
August 5	1	August 5	~25
August 11	3
August 25	0