Home
Bird Guide
Bird Cams
Bird Academy
Bird ID Skills
Feeding Birds
Bird Friendly Homes
Problems
FAQs
Biology
News & Features
Videos
Get Involved

Living Bird Magazine
Membership Services
Support the Lab

IDMerlin Bird IDMerlin Bird ID Join Us

All About Birds

Search

Browse all birds

Looking forBird ID Help?

Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds.

Try Merlin Bird ID

Recently Viewed Species

Chimney Swift Range Map

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Range Map
Sightings Map

Range Map for Chimney Swift

Migration

Long-distance migrant. Chimney Swifts migrate to South America each winter flying across the Gulf of Mexico or skirting it along the Texas coast (a route they’re more likely to take in spring than fall). Many swifts use one of three distinct flyways: the Atlantic coast, the east side of the Appalachians, and the Mississippi River. They fly high in the sky during the day and roost in chimneys at night.

Explore Birds of North America to learn more.

Compare with Similar Species

Click on an image to compare

Vaux's Swift Adult/immature is similar to Chimney Swift

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Adult is similar to Chimney Swift

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Cliff Swallow Adult is similar to Chimney Swift

Tree Swallow Adult male  is similar to Chimney Swift

Looking for ID Help?

Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds.

Try Merlin Bird ID

Species in This Family

Swifts(Order: Caprimulgiformes, Family:Apodidae)

White-throated Swift

White-throated Swift

Browse Species in This Family

More to Read

Building Skills: The 4 Keys to Bird Identification
eBird
Mesmerizing Migration: Watch 118 Bird Species Migrate Across a Map of the Western Hemisphere
Living Bird Magazine
In Colombia, Shade-Grown Coffee Sustains Songbirds and People Alike

Living Bird Magazine
They Had Feathers: Is the World Ready to See Dinosaurs as They Really Were?
6 Steps to Choosing a Pair of Binoculars You'll Love
Bird Academy
Bird Song Hero

Chimney Swift

Overview
ID Info
Life History
Maps
Sounds
Merlin Bird ID

Overview
What We Do
Visit the Lab
Job Opportunities
News Releases

Citizen Science

eBird
Project Feederwatch
NestWatch
Celebrate Urban Birds
Great Backyard Bird Count
Habitat Network

Lifelong Learning

Online Courses
Workshops
Bird Walks & Events
Spring Field Ornithology
BirdSleuth

Birds of North America
Clements Checklist
Neotropical Birds
State of the Birds
Annual Report
Scientific Citations
Living Bird Magazine

Bird Guide
Bird Cams
Macaulay Library
"Raven" Sound Analysis
Our Youtube Videos
FAQs

Support Our Cause

Join the Lab
Donate
Monthly Giving
Membership Services
Shop for Our Cause

Contact the Lab
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Site Credits

Copyright © 2017 Cornell University

New call-to-action

Do not show this again