Swift Night Out

This is not a Taylor Swift album release countdown party. The BIPOC Birding Club, Feminist Bird Club-Madison Chapter, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group are getting together to look for chimney swifts. They nest in, yes, chimneys, and they are especially active this time of year as they prep for migration. Local groups are keen to raise awareness of the birds' diminishing roosting habitats. Come, learn more about swifts, meet other birders, and witness the spectacle of a flock of swifts emerging from a chimney. And be able to genuinely call yourself a swiftie. RSVP for location at swibirds.org, where you can also sign up for email alerts about more gatherings to be announced Sept. 7-13.

media release:Swift Night Out returns this September, and we are collaborating with fellow bird-loving organizations to celebrate the incredible natural phenomenon of Chimney Swifts coming in to roost during migration! In addition to Swift Night Out, our organizations will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

The BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance, in partnership with the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group, are collaborating to host this community gathering.

Where is Swift Night Out? Wherever the swifts are! Often times, it’s at Cherokee Heights Middle School in Madison, but we won’t know for sure until we get a little closer. Register below to stay in the loop!

What are Chimney Swifts? 

Chimney Swifts are small birds that spend most of their life on the wing! They nest in chimneys and are experiencing habitat decline as there are fewer places for them to nest and roost. You may see them twittering and fluttering above your neighborhood in the summer. At summer’s end, hundreds of Chimney Swifts gather and use brick chimneys for their nightly roost as they prepare for migration. A “Swift Night Out” is a continent-wide effort to raise awareness about Chimney Swifts and their need for roosting habitat. 

Why should you come?

We hope this evening will be the perfect opportunity for members of our birding community to:

meet new people who love birds

socialize and get to know each other

and of course learn about Chimney Swifts, their unique roosting behaviors, and what we can do to protect them! 

If you haven't visited a swift roost or participated in a Swift Night Out event before, you won't want to miss this. The spectacle of hundreds of Chimney Swifts pouring into the tall chimney is a sight to behold—as is the equally joyful spectacle of so many birders gathering to celebrate them!