Vaux’s swifts are likely to use the Chapman Elementary School chimney as an evening roost during their fall 2012 migration. Grab a seat on the school lawn or in neighboring Wallace Park to observe the birds gathering overhead. On most evenings during September, Audubon volunteers will be on hand to share information about Vaux's swifts.
Please visit the Portland Audubon website for information about parking and public transit options, the natural history of Vaux's swifts, best times to arrive and more.
Background: Every year in late August, one of Portland’s most spectacular natural events begins: Thousands of Vaux’s swifts gather in the city as they prepare to migrate to Central America and Venezuela.
Migrating swifts often use chimneys as roosts (places to sleep), and they are likely to return to the same roost year after year. One swift population has been returning to the Chapman chimney since the 1980s, and it is the largest known roost of migrating Vaux's swifts in the world.
Add new comment