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Swift Night Out: Birmingham
October 8, 2021 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Pre-registration is requested for planning purposes by 12 p.m. CDT on Thursday, October 7th. Visit https://alaudubon.org/event/
Swift Night Out is back in Birmingham! Join us downtown as we enjoy the evening with one of our favorite urban birds, the chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica). All ages and abilities welcome!
After these aerial acrobats have fledged their young and cleared out their nests, the entire North American population makes its way south to winter along the remote headwaters of the Amazon River. On their way there, they congregate in huge roosting flocks with as many as two or three thousand birds sharing a single chimney—numbers that make for a tremendous spectacle when they all pour into the tiny opening at once.
Together, we’ll wait for sunset (6:22 p.m.), watch the swifts work themselves up into their nightly “swiftnado,” and then count the number of individuals who enter the roost. Best of all, the data we produce will help researchers at the Chimney Swift Conservation Association (chimneyswifts.org) get a better sense of trends in eastern swift populations and the effects of climate change on these birds’ annual migratory cycle.
The details: Meetup will be at 6:00 p.m. CDT at a chimney TBD in the Birmingham area. Location details will be announced about a week before the event as we scout for active roosts and the best viewing locations. Check https://alaudubon.org/event/
Binoculars are handy, but certainly not necessary, for viewing the swifts as they assemble in the skies above the chimney. You may want to bring a lawn chair. If you’re a social media user, tag us @alaudubon (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). We strongly encourage you to share your thoughts and photos with the hashtag #AlabamaSwiftWatch!
In the case of inclement weather, the event may be cancelled. You may contact the trip leader the day of the event if the weather is questionable.
Registration: To register, visit https://alaudubon.org/event/
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible and open to all abilities.
The trip leader: Sarah Randolph will lead this trip.
Photo credit: Greg Harber