Chimney Swift

Chaetura pelagica (Linnaeus, 1758) CHISW 7900
Family: Apodiformes > Apodidae

Much smaller than our Swift with a shorter body, this common North American insectivore has only been recorded a handful of times in Britain. Most of the British records fall in October or November.

Chimney Swift breeds in the eastern half of North America, from the Great Lakes south to the Gulf of Mexico. Migratory, it is thought to winter in the Andes.

Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Chimney Swift

  • Breeding
  • Winter
113 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
113 records

BTO RECORDS

113 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
113 records

BTO RECORDS

Identification

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Status and Trends

Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.

CONSERVATION STATUS

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

POPULATION SIZE

We have no population estimates for this scarce species.

Movement

Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

RINGING RECOVERIES

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information about Chimney Swift, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING

Sample sizes are too small to report Productivity and Nesting statistics for this species.

BIOMETRICS

Sample sizes are too small to report Biometrics for this species.

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

CODES & CLASSIFICATION

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Welsh: Coblyn y Simdde
Catalan: falciot cuaespinós de xemeneia
Czech: rorýs ostnitý
Danish: Skorstenssejler
Dutch: Schoorsteengierzwaluw
Estonian: korstna-kammsaba
Finnish: piippukiitäjä
French: Martinet ramoneur
German: Schornsteinsegler
Hungarian: kéménysarlósfecske
Icelandic: Háfsvölungur
Italian: Rondone dei camini
Latvian: skurstenu svire
Lithuanian: dumine chetura
Norwegian: Skorsteinsseiler
Polish: kominiarczyk amerykanski
Portuguese: andorinhão-pelágico
Slovak: srp torpédovitý
Slovenian: temni dimnik
Spanish: Vencejo de chimenea
Swedish: skorstensseglare

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