What can we say about “swifts”? For starters, the author Jonathan Swift is famous for “Gulliver’s Travels” and other works. Letter carriers are famously celebrated for “the swift completion of theirSlowly or Swiftly, Respect the Chimney Swift IMG- Fort Wayne IN- Old Smokey's Fireplace and Chimney appointed rounds.” And, speaking further of “swifts,” chimney swifts are entitled to special protection that we can all pay heed to. Chimney swifts. That’s where Old Smokey’s comes in. We can help you protect this migratory bird.

As their name implies, chimney swifts like chimneys. It wasn’t always that way, not exactly. Ages ago, these cigar-shaped birds nested in hollow trees in ancient forests. But these trees gave way to cleared land used for farming, and the birds found favor with stone and mortared brick chimneys that resembled, for the birds at least, the trees they had formerly nested in.

Maybe your chimney is a potential nest for chimney swifts. Maybe your chimney is the scene of a potential classic conflict: humans vs. nature. But it’s a conflict we can resolve. Old Smokey’s can help.

No one wants to take nesting habitat away from chimney swifts. We want to accommodate them the best we can.

Many of today’s chimneys use small metal flue pipes rather than clay liners. These metal flues can sometimes be dangerous for animals, who cannot grip the slippery metal and may even fall into the fireplace.

As for chimney swifts, their nests are small, cup-shaped structures made of twigs and glued to the chimney wall with saliva. These nests should be removed after the birds have left in the fall. This does the swifts a favor, both by removing bird parasites and the nest structure itself, which might be used by returning swifts, but could be unstable enough to collapse during the nesting period. According to biologists, chimney swifts tend to return to the same nesting site year after year, if it’s available.

Chimney swifts are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Professional chimney sweeps understand this and how to deal with chimney swifts. Our sweeps are professionally trained, and they know the correct protocols and practices regarding swifts.

A careful inspection by a qualified professional is a common-sense approach to chimney swifts. Instead of relying on guesswork or possibly erroneous conclusions, rely on Old Smokey’s pros to discern your chimney’s situation related to our friends the chimney swifts.

Regarding care toward chimney swifts, many recommend a delay of the annual cleaning until after young have left the nest. Ask your Old Smokey’s chimney sweep to come back in the fall if swifts are in occupancy earlier in the season. Anyone who knowingly destroys birds or nests that might contain eggs or young can be fined or penalized.

One common fix involves a simple solution: chimneys lined with metal should be capped, to prevent birds from entering and becoming trapped.

Our 30+ years of experience speaks volumes about the trust we’ve built throughout northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and midsouth Michigan. Call 260-424-0009 or 800-876-6539, or schedule an appointment online. We’ll be happy to talk swifts — chimney swifts, that is.