The Chimney Swift 



By GUY A. BAILEY 



With photographs from nature by the author 



IT has not been many years since Chimney Swifts gave up nesting in hollow 

 trees and began building in chimneys. At the present time, however, 

 it is no uncommon occurrence to find their basket -like nests in barns 

 and other outbuildings. 



During the season of 1904 I had the good fortune to find three such nests, 

 — two in barns, and one in a granary. Just how general this practice is among 

 our Swifts, I am not aware; but I suspect it must be common. My obser- 

 vations have been made in the valley of the Onondaga Creek, near Syracuse, 

 N. Y. The views herein contained are flash-light photographs, taken in a 

 large barn on two consecutive afternoons; daylight being so dim that arti- 

 ficial light was necessary. 



The nest was built of sticks in the usual way, near the ridge, on the south 

 gable. A large circular hole near the top allowed the birds ready passage to 

 and from their nests. With the aid of a ladder, to which I fastened the 



camera, I was able to 

 work at close range 

 without visibly disturb- 

 ing their regular labors. 

 The flash-light gun 

 was used to explode the 

 powder, and was most 

 convenient. The parent 

 birds were not usually 

 frightened away by the 

 explosion, although the 

 powder was not more 

 than two feet distant 

 from the dusky family. 

 Each flash w^as an- 

 swered, however, by a 

 chorus of creaking 

 voices, in which both 

 the 5'oung and old birds 

 took a part. Although 

 the heat was stifling, 

 and the gases from the 

 powder suffocating, the birds seemed to endure the siege better than I. 



By reference to the photographs, it will be seen that the nest is by far too 

 small to hold the brood comfortably. One photograph shows one of the adults 



(130) 



A WELL-FILLED NEST. YOUNG SWIFTS 



