The Swifts Will Be Migrating Soon!
Chimney Swifts in Wisconsin will be migrating soon (mid-August through October), creating quite a phenomenon at dusk at some roost chimneys. We would encourage everyone to get out to witness one of these events and help Chimney Swifts by doing a count and recording your findings in eBird.
Please join us for one or more of these 2025 SWIFT NIGHT OUT events.
Menomonie, WI – A Swift Night Out at the Creamery Thursday August 7. E4616 County Road C, Menomonie, WI. Events start at 3pm. Hosted by Gaylord Nelson Bird Club.
Green Bay Area – Friday, August 15. Contact Nancy Nabak at nnabak@sbcglobal.net or (920) 793-4007 for more information or if you want to monitor a chimney (if you’re new at this, you will be paired with a “pro”!)
Manitowoc County – Friday, August 15. Contact Joel Trick at jtrick214@gmail.com or (920) 866-1737 for more information.
Fond du Lac – Friday, Aug. 8 and Friday, Aug. 22 at Metal-Link, 196 Western Ave. (rain dates Saturday, Aug. 9; Saturday, Aug. 23) The best viewing is from the parking lot off Brooke St. around the corner. Come 60 minutes to 45 minutes before dusk. Note: the owner of the business said they counted 250 entering the chimney in July last year. For more information, contact Laura DeGolier, Bird City Fond du Lac, (920) 948-8041, lpdx289@gmail.com.
Janesville – Sunday, August 24 and Sunday, September 7. Sponsored by Bird City Janesville. (Check the Green-Rock Audubon Society events listing (https://www.greenrockaudubon.org/events) or contact Neil Deupree, past president, deupreen@charter.net or (608) 752-8342, for details.
Wausau – Monday, Aug. 25, 7:00 p.m. Meet at the parking lot (on Grant St.) behind the old Graebel Building (720 N. 3rd St.). Culver’s & Custard to follow. All are welcome! For more info, contact Susan Haug, Wausau Bird Club, sjhaug@charter.net (414) 232-8524
Whitewater – Saturday August 30. Whitewater Middle School Chimney at 7:00pm. Watch 900+ Chimney Swifts Dive at Dusk! Located at 401 South Elizabeth Street. Bring lawn chairs and park in the lot behind the school. Presentations by local Wildlife Biologist, Entomologist, City Forester and Urban Forestry.
Lake Geneva – Thursday, Sept. 4. Geneva Lake Museum (255 Mill St.) Swift Night Out (a FREE educational program presented by the City of Lake Geneva Avian Committee). 5 p.m. food trucks open; 6 p.m. Schlitz Audubon Nature Center “Eagle and Friends” program; 7:30 p.m. until dark – Swifts begin their aerial displays. Please contact Sarah McConnell, SarahTmcc@gmail.com, for more information.
Madison – Saturday, Sept. 6 from 6:00p.m-8:00p.m. Location to be determined (by the swifts!). Details will be posted here. The BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club – Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance, in partnership with the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group, are collaborating to host this community gathering.
Madison – “Swift Week”. Sunday, September 7th- Saturday, September 13th. Each Swift Week get-together will start around 6:00 p.m., with the location determined that day, so sign up to get email updates, at the bottom of this link.Contact Brenna Marsicek at bmarsicek@swibirds.org or (608)255-2473. A birder from one of the organizations will be there to welcome you, share information, and hang out to swift-watch.
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Please email us at helpchimneyswifts@gmail.com to let us know about other events.
If you really want to make a difference for swifts, please consider holding your own Swift Night Out, which can be as simple (or as robust) as you wish. See why and how at https://www.wiswifts.org/swift-night-out/ Be sure to click the link for an easy, how-to guide.
Thank you for caring about swifts!