Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) is in the Swifts family (Apodidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 10,322 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
Conservation status (iNaturalist): VU.
When to photograph Chimney Swift: observations by month (U.S.)
About Chimney Swift
The chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) is a bird belonging to the swift family Apodidae. A member of the genus Chaetura, it is closely related to both the Vaux's swift and the Chapman's swift; in the past, the three were sometimes considered to be conspecific. It has no subspecies. The chimney swift is a medium-sized, sooty gray bird with very long, slender wings and very short legs. Like all swifts, it is incapable of perching, and can...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Chimney Swift by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,789 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | 1,124 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Illinois | 680 | May | May–Sep |
| New York | 621 | May | May–Aug |
| Florida | 596 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Maryland | 553 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Virginia | 434 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 425 | May | May–Jul |
| Ohio | 421 | May | May–Sep |
| North Carolina | 372 | May | Apr–Jul |
| New Jersey | 307 | May | May–Aug |
| Tennessee | 291 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Louisiana | 254 | April | Apr–May |
| Georgia | 216 | April | Apr–Jul |
| South Carolina | 212 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 195 | May | May–Aug |
| Michigan | 187 | May | May–Aug |
| Missouri | 153 | May | Apr–Oct |
| Minnesota | 139 | May | May–Aug |
| Connecticut | 137 | May | May–Jun |
| Alabama | 120 | September | Apr–Oct |
| Indiana | 119 | May | May–Sep |
| Mississippi | 104 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Vermont | 103 | May | May–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 86 | May | Apr–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 78 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Kentucky | 74 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Iowa | 70 | May | May–Jul |
| Kansas | 59 | May | Apr–Aug |
| West Virginia | 57 | July | Apr–Jul |
| Maine | 50 | June | May–Aug |
| New Hampshire | 48 | May | May–Jun |
| Nebraska | 47 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Arkansas | 43 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 42 | May | May–Jun |
| Colorado | 28 | May | May–Jun |
| Delaware | 25 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Montana | 24 | May | May–Aug |
| South Dakota | 19 | May | May–Aug |
| North Dakota | 8 | May | May–Jul |
| New Mexico | 5 | June | May–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Swifts)
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chimney Swift?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to September.
Where is Chimney Swift most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois.