SWIFTS 
271 
423. Chimney Swift, chimney swallow, le ramoneur. Chaelura pclagica. 
L, 5-43. Plate XXXV B. A small Swift of even sooty-brown colour, only slightly lighten- 
ing on the throat and breast. 
Distinctions. The even sooty-brown colour, lightening on the throat and darkening 
towards the vent, and the tail feathers ending in a sharp spine (Figure 388c) are sufficient 
for recognition of the species in eastern Canada and the Prairie Provinces where it is the 
Figure 388 
Details of Chimney Swift. 
a, head; b, foot; c, tail feather with spine; d, horned wing-tip; e, outline in flight; 
scale; a-d, natural size; e, y* 
only swift to be expected. It is very similar to the Vaux’s Swift of British Columbia, 
which may occasionally occur in western Alberta, but which is considerably smaller and 
with rump evenly coloured dark like the back. The wing of the Chimney Swift is 5 inches 
or over. 
Field Marks. The characteristic regular bow of the forward wing outline (Figure 
3S8e), the rapid, even, and continuous beats alternating witli long, sweeping sails, general 
torpedo-like body outline, and dense, dark coloration will distinguish this as a swift. In 
the eastern Prairie Provinces this is the only species to be expected. In western Alberta, 
the Chimney Swift in life can be distinguished from the Black and Vaux’s Swift only by 
size. It is much smaller than the first and considerably larger than the second. Identi- 
fication by this test, however, is very uncertain. High up in the air, with nothing to fix 
the distance or scale, size is difficult to estimate. 
Nesting. Originally in hollow trees or in clefts in rock cliffs. In out of the way places 
this practice is still followed, but throughout the east such situations are almost entirely 
abandoned for the flues of unused chimneys, and occasionally the gable interiors of 
buildings. 
Distribution. Eastern North Ain erica from the low T er edge of the northern spruce 
forest southward. In Canada, west regularly to Manitoba and reported as far as central 
Alberta. The swifts of Alberta should be closely scrutinized, and carefully identified. 
This is an interesting species, swallow-like in outward appearance and 
food-hunting habits yet structurally distinct from the swallows. It is an 
odd example of parallel development of widely separated characters induced 
by similarity of requirement. Its habits have entirely changed since the 
advent of the white man and, forsaking hollow trees, it is now practically 
dependent upon chimneys for sites in which to build its nest. The winter 
home of the Chimney Swift is unknown. The mystery, however, should 
not be exaggerated, as there are numbers of swifts in the western hemis- 
phere looking very like this one and the bird has probably been overlooked 
76916 — 18^ 
