As Vaux’s Swifts migrate south, they roost together in a chimney, drawing crowds
Thousands of Vaux’s Swifts gather overhead as they prepare to roost for the night at Chapaman Elementary in Portland, Oregon. During the month of September, migrating swifts often use chimneys as roosts and are likely to return to the same roost year after year.is a tiny bird – some people call it “a cigar with wings.” But every fall these little birds make a big trip, from summer breeding grounds in the Pacific Northwest down to their winter home in Central and South America.
These sleek birds do everything on the wing — eating, drinking, even mating. And, says Liebezeit, they’ve adapted to staying in the air. They’re not known toon a branch. “They’re a different kind of bird than a perching bird,” explains Liebezeit. “They don’t have the same muscle structure to do what a songbird does, to securely land on the branch and grab onto it.”
The Bird Alliance of Oregon has a volunteer information table at Chapman Elementary for visitors coming to watch Vaux's swifts roosting in Portland, Oregon.Once the swifts get to a site, they’ll stay and feed for a day or two before moving on to the next one, says Joe Liebezeit. When it’s swift time, Portlanders grab picnic blankets and lawn chairs, and stake out swift-watching sites on the lawn surrounding the school. Groups share takeout and potluck picnics, while kids slide down the hill on sheets of cardboard.
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