Page 513 - Hand rearing birds second

510 Hand-Rearing Birds

and the nails are very long and sharp, allowing the birds a tenacious hold on anything they are
clinging to. In some species, the hallux rotates forward to change the foot to appear as if all four
toes face forward.
The four species that breed in the United States and Canada are present during the summer
breeding season but spend the winter months in Central and South America. Chimney Swifts
begin arriving along the Gulf of Mexico coast in March or April. The young spend the first 30 days
of their lives in a chimney, and most will go on to breed and roost in them for the rest of their lives.
Most Chimney Swifts fledge in July and August, and Vaux’s Swifts largely fledge by mid-July. By
September, most swifts begin feeding and roosting in large flocks, preparing to migrate to South
America. White-throated Swifts migrate southward from northern parts of their range, but most
populations in California are resident year-round.

­ Criteria­for Intervention

Swift nests are built of small twigs adhered together and to vertical walls with sticky saliva. Heavy
rains or dirty chimneys can cause a nest to become unglued or not adhere properly and fall down.
Asking the right questions is critical to knowing whether chicks need assistance or can be returned
to the nest. Age is a large factor. Hatchlings and nestlings are at greatest risk, especially if the nest
has fallen down (Figure 33.1). These birds will need to be rescued due to inability to re-attach the
nest in the chimney. Time is also critical as to how long chicks have been separated from the adults:
was it a few minutes, a few hours, all day long, or days? Where the birds are located is also very
important, especially if they had been removed from the chimney. Did they have exposure to out-
side elements such as cold, rain, or sun? If yes, rehabilitation will be necessary.
Chimney Swift chicks may be able to be returned to the chimney if they are warm, fully feath-
ered, bright eyed and alert, the wings appear even and are not damaged, the chick is not injured,
and can cling with both feet. Always return the chick back to the fireplace it was found in. Place
the bird as high as possible above the damper to the chimney wall, where it should be able to grab
onto the wall and climb to where it needs to go.

Figure 33.1 Vaux’s Swift nestling.