Signs Chimney Swift Birds Are Living In Your Chimney & How To Get Rid Of Them

Are you noticing a strange racket coming from somewhere deep in your fireplace chimney? If the noise resembles flapping wings and squawking, then you've probably got bird visitors. The aptly named chimney swifts (Chaetura pelagica) are native to the Eastern half of the U.S. and Southern Canada, where they spend the breeding season before migrating to South America. When breeding, they commonly make nests in a chimney flue, and the noise you hear is their young birds demanding food. Other indications of these visitors include birds landing on your chimney in the late hours of the evening — that's when the swifts usually return to their nests. The more obvious signs are a nest that falls down from the top of the chimney, or finding a baby swift that's dropped into your fireplace from the nest.

Allowing chimney swifts to roost in your home enormously helps conservation efforts (these birds are seeing a significant population decline). However, their presence might lead to several problems. Apart from the noise, they can prevent smoke from coming out of the chimney, and their droppings may spread disease.

If you find these birds in your chimney, there isn't much you can do to get rid of them right away. That's because the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) makes it illegal to remove active bird nests. So, if you find fallen nests or swift babies, you have to make an effort to re-nest them or call a local wildlife rehabilitation service. That said, once the birds leave to make their way south for the season, there are things you can do to keep them from coming back.

The only way to get rid of a chimney swift infestation is, really, to prevent one. And you can only set up exclusion measures after the birds are gone for the season. Even so, an effective barrier will ensure that the birds do not return to your chimney once they're back to breed in North America come spring.

The easiest and most effective chimney swift exclusion method is a chimney cap. These caps typically comprise a bracket that fits the chimney top, wired panels on four sides, and a metal cap at the top. The wired panels allow smoke to escape when you're using your fireplace, but the gaps between the wires are too small to allow the chimney sweeps in. If you see a cap on someone's chimney, they may be dealing with a bird infestation, too. You can find caps of different sizes to fit your chimney properly. For example, this cap from The Home Depot is just over $60 and comes in sizes of 7½ by by 7½ inches, 11½ by 18 inches, 11½ by 11½ inches, and 9 by 13¾ inches. If you're struggling to find a cap that fits your chimney dimensions perfectly, you can resort to covering the opening with a bird screen. Just make sure the screen is fastened tightly enough to prevent the swifts from getting through openings.

Now, there are some exclusion methods that don't work well with chimney swifts. Crucially, don't be tempted to cover the chimney with slick surfaces to keep these birds out. This method will only lead to bird injury or death. Likewise, don't rely on pyrotechnics or decoys, as they are not effective deterrents for this bird species.