Chimney Care Company's Blog

What’s that sound coming from my chimney? Probably chimney swifts.

Are you suddenly hearing a lot of loud noises coming from your chimney? Does the sound of rustling movement and constant chirping have you worried about what’s lurking within? Your chimney likely is playing host to chimney swifts!

What are chimney swifts?

Chimney swifts are birds that are native to North America’s woodlands. Once, they nested on the vertical interiors of dead, hollow trees. As American cities took hold and their natural habitats were largely demolished, chimney swifts adapted by finding shelter inside chimney flues.

How do I know if it’s really chimney swifts?

Of course, chimney swifts aren’t the only animal or bird that can make a home in your chimney. They are, however, extremely common during summer months. To determine if the noise in your chimney is, in fact, caused by swifts, first listen hard. Swifts moving around are often described as causing a rattlesnake-like sound. They are very vocal birds. Meaning you will hear a lot of chirping, especially when adult birds are feeding baby birds inside the chimney. Finally, watch your chimney in the late evening, close to nightfall. That’s when you’re most likely to see a chimney swift. It has a cigar-shaped body and curved wings, and it loves diving into your chimney to take refuge for the evening!

What do I do if it is a chimney swift?

If you are hosting a family of chimney swifts in your chimney, there is nothing you can do. Due to their diminishing numbers, chimney swifts are federally protected birds. Therefore, it is illegal to remove nesting chimney swifts. Fortunately, chimney swifts are migratory birds that will vacate your chimney and move along, once the hatch-lings are old enough. Are you hearing the young chimney swifts chirping in the chimney? If so, you’ll likely only have to wait a few weeks until the swifts move on. In the meantime, you can focus on the positive: Chimney swifts eat up to one-third of their body weight in insects a day. This means your resident chimney swifts will help lower the insect count in your yard this summer!

What do I do once the swifts have moved on?

Once you are sure that the chimney swifts have vacated your chimney, you will need to have your chimney swept and inspected. Their departure likely will coincide with your fall chimney maintenance. Chimney swifts generally don’t damage chimneys in any way. However, you will want to make sure that all remnants of their nests, and any droppings they have left behind, have been safely removed from your chimney. The inspection that follows the sweeping will ensure that your flue hasn’t sustained damage from chimney sweeps!

If your chimney has been occupied by chimney swifts this summer, call the Chimney Care Co. once the swifts have vacated your flue! Our sweeps will be sure to clear away any signs that the swifts were there, and they’ll make sure that your chimney remains in safe, working condition.

 

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Chimney Care Company | 413 Wards Corner Road, Loveland, Ohio 45140