Watching the Skies: How Community Science is Rallying for the Endangered Chimney Swift

Watching the Skies: How Community Science is Rallying for the Endangered Chimney Swift

In 2026, members of the Saint Paul Bird Alliance stepped up to protect a vulnerable species by participating in the Chimney Swift Monitoring Project. This vital community science initiative was led by a powerful coalition, including the Urban Bird Collective, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Birds program, and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Together, volunteers gathered critical ecological data to help reverse the fortunes of the Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica), an aerial insectivore whose populations are in decline.

Because Chimney Swifts rely heavily on human-built chimneys for nesting and roosting, the Twin Cities and surrounding regions are a crucial battleground for their observation and protection. Local communities responded to this need in record numbers this year. Statewide volunteer participation surged by 400%, growing to a dedicated network of over 85 volunteers. From May 1st through August 30th, these community scientists kept a watchful eye on local skies by monitoring historical roosts biweekly, identifying entirely new roosting locations, and mapping their own discovery sites.

The project also brought neighbors together through nine community “swift sits,” where attendees gathered to watch swifts stage in large numbers before their long journey south. While enthusiasm was high, the data revealed some sobering trends. Monitors noted lower bird counts this season, which coordinators believe stems from a lack of food sources due to this year’s intense regional droughts and wildfires. Last year at our Mahtomedi sits, we had numbers from 2,000 to 3,000 on some nights; this year we had a high of 725.

The fight to protect these incredible aerial acrobats will continue next year, and we need your help. If you would like to join the effort as a monitor for the next season, please reach out to Monica Bryand at urbanbirdcollective@gmail.com to be added to the official project mailing list. Next year will start with project info, then training for all volunteers.

–Monica Bryand