Save Our Swifts
Swifts Night In! Vaux’s Happening, 15 million and counting. Where we’ve been and where we’re going
Guest Speaker: Larry Schwitters
For many, the transition from summer to fall is a time for gathering around the old chimney at the Frank Wagner Elementary School in Monroe to watch the dazzling display of migrating Vaux’s Swifts. Each year, thousands of Vaux’s Swifts use the chimney as a roosting stop on their migratory journeys, both north and south.
For several years, we’ve been hosting a Swifts Night Out event, where we have invited the community to gather at the school and observe those magnificent birds filing into the roost. But due to the health concerns of our communities, in 2020 we decided not to host an on-site event.
Yet, just as the swifts have adapted to use chimneys in place of old growth trees, we too adapted, and hosted the first ever Swifts Night In! Last year’s event was held online via Zoom, with a presentation by our beloved swift expert, Larry Schwitters.
Larry presented an update on the Vaux’s Happening project and where he sees it going in the future. At the end of the presentation, we had a question and answer session where Larry imparted his vast swift knowledge upon us all.
A Project to Save the Vaux's Swifts
Salem KATU TV Channel 2 news Sept 30, 2010
Our chapter has been instrumental in protecting and researching the Vaux Swifts that travel through Snohomish County twice each year. Starting in 2007, with the realization that the swifts were roosting in an Monroe elementary school chimney which was slated to be torn down, Pilchuck has been involved in saving that chimney and supporting the research needed to protect this declining species. The Frank Wagner Elementary School chimney is one of the most used roosting sites on the Vaux's migratory path and is also the only place on their southern Central America to northern Canada route with video cams installed to observe and learn more about this aerial species. In 2010, we received one of 48 National Innovation Grants from TogetherGreen to support our efforts and we have collaborated with Eastside and Seattle Audubon chapters since then on this project.
Larry Schwitters has taken the lead and been a champion for the swifts, not just in Monroe but all up and down the west coast. His efforts, called Vaux’s Happening, have been instrumental in our efforts to understand and save the swifts.
10,000 plus Vaux's Swifts 2 to 3 deep getting out of the cold and rain in the Monroe Wagner chimney.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Vaux's?
Named after Sir William Vaux, this bird is the smallest and most numerous of the swift species in Washington State. It is pronounced "Voxes" or "VAWKsiz".
What is a swift?
A family of birds that spend most of their time in the air catching insects. They look and act much like swallows but are more closely related to Hummingbirds. Their foot structure is such that they can cling, but not perch.
How can I tell a swift from a swallow?
Swift wings have evolved differently from most other birds, and when flying they are never folded back towards the body. Swallows can’t seem to stop themselves from doing that. The difference is in the bone structure of the wing. Swallows flap their wings from their elbow joint. Swifts, like hummingbirds, have very short "forearms” and flap from their wrist.
Is a Vaux's Swift the same as a Chimney Swift?
For now they’re considered to be very similar but different species. The Vaux’s is found west of the Rockies and the Chimney Swift is east. Chimney Swifts have really taken to man made chimneys, and the Vaux’s are slowly being forced to do the same.
How many chimneys in the state are known to be swift migration roosts?
Audubon has a list of 29 sites known to have been used in the past, but any large, open brick chimney is a suspect. In both the north and southbound migrations of 2008 and 2009 we had observers check out 52 different potential Vaux’s Swift roost sites in Washington State. We documented swifts at 25 of them.
How many birds will spend the night in one chimney?
The Wagner Elementary School chimney in Monroe currently holds the state record of a few thousand. There is a huge chimney at the Chapman School in Portland that has had 40,000. When they all try to stuff themselves in at the same time, it becomes one of nature’s most spectacular events. On May 7, 2008 Judy Alles documented 21,027 swifts entering the Wagner chimney. This is believed to be the largest number ever recorded anywhere for this species in a Northbound migration.
Is there a reason for them sleeping in a large group?
There is probably a survival benefit to this. They huddle together to conserve body heat so they can slow down their metabolism, maybe enough to hibernate for the night.
Do the swifts spend the night in chimneys in both the spring and fall?
Yes, but there should be a lot more seen when they migrate south in the fall.
Why are there more swifts in the fall?
A pair of Vaux’s Swifts will spend most of the summer raising three to seven young. If they all survive, two could become nine making the return migration in August. There may also be other factors involved.
When are the swifts expected to show up?
Going north, the last week of April, and going south the middle to end of August. Vaux’s Happening has observers posted in central Oregon and on the north shore of the Columbia River to sound the alarm. Going into the 2010 migration we have partners as far south as Sonora Mexico. Our first sighting at Wagner in 2008 was 4/16. In 2009 it was two days later.
What is expected of a volunteer observer?
Look for Vaux’s Swifts gathering around and then entering a brick chimney in Washington State around sunset, then submit your report here.
What are the chances I will actually find Swifts?
Pretty good if you are looking in Monroe. If you find them elsewhere it will be a big deal, put a smile on your face, and make you want to brag about it.
Will Vaux's Happening continue in the future?
That’s the plan, and that’s what it’s going to take to document how much trouble these wonderful little birds are in. The project has thankfully caught on, and we have identified roost sites from San Diego to the Yukon. But we always need more help observering the roosts and managing the data. If you're interested in getting involved, email Brian Zinke at director@pilchuckaudubon.org for more information.