Chimney Swift

These little "flying cigars" have just returned from their wintering sites in the upper Amazon basin countries of Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Brazil. They're basically airborne for life, spending almost their entire time flying or clinging to vertical walls like chimneys, trees or caves.

Since chimneys are not in use as much as before, the population of Chimney swifts has been in decline for decades. You can help:  preserve existing chimneys or build swift nesting towers; designs are available from the North American Chimney Swift Nest Site Research Project. Photo: Paul Hurtado