GOATSUCKERS AND SWIFTS 
42 3 . Chimney Swift. Chcetura pelagica. 
Range. — North America east of the Plains, 
breeding from central Canada, south to the Gulf 
coast, and wintering south of our borders. 
This well known species is sooty brownish 
black, 5.5 inches long, and has the tail feathers 
terminating in sharp spines. They are very 
abundant in all portions of their range, and 
may be seen on the wing at all hours of the 
day, but especially abundant in the early morn- 
ing and toward dusk. They formerly dwelt 
and bred only in hollow trees, and a great many 
still continue to do so, as large hollow stumps 
are known where hundreds nest every year. 
The majority of the eastern Chimney Swifts 
now nest in old chimneys that are unused, at 
least during the summer; some small chimneys 
contain but a single pair while other large ones 
may have from fifty to a hundred or more nests 
glued to the sides. The birds are on the wing 
during the greater part of the day, generally 
not frequenting the vicinity of their nesting 
site, but returning toward dusk, when they may 
Chimney Swift 
