‘Swifties’ gather around iconic tree on UNC Chapel Hill campus for rare sunset sight
Swarms of chimney swifts should have been in downtown Chapel Hill by late August, but birdwatcher Barbara Driscoll saw only a few, despite hearing their familiar twittering sound.
She followed it across Franklin Street and onto the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, finding "an incredible sight" that humans probably haven't witnessed for a few hundred years: Thousands of chimney swifts circling an old-growth tree.
But this was not just any tree. It was the university's iconic Davie Poplar, which has stood watch on campus for over 400 years.
"I was so excited to see that they were using this tree, and that this tree was protected," Driscoll said.
On Wednesday, she and other volunteers, joined by onlookers, brought their clipboards and binoculars to the tree just before sunset. A few swifts flitted here and there, others joining them in a circular frenzy above the treetops.
As the sun fell to dusk, they dove at breakneck speed, first one and then another, into the gaping cavity of Davie Poplar's trunk to huddle together for warmth against the night. A new group stops to roost every night as they fly south, said Paul Dayer, who came from Durham with his wife, Anne Dayer, to see the swifts.
They have attended swift-watch events for eight years, but this is the first time they've seen the birds use a tree, Paul Dayer said. It's a "pretty special" thing to see, Anne Dayer added.
"The nice thing about this is you're so close to them. Usually, you're looking at an industrial chimney, and it's much higher," she said.
Roosts, insects lead to swift decline
Chimney swifts live most of their life on the wing, nesting and roosting in caves and old-growth tree cavities prior to the 1600s across much of the United States. But as European settlers arrived, many trees were felled to build homes and towns.
The swifts adapted, moving into manmade chimneys. Natural roosts only exist in remote areas, like the 2,000-year-old bald cypress trees in eastern North Carolina .
But once again, the swifts are losing their refuge, as older chimneys are removed, capped or lined with slick, metal sleeves.
Swifts and other aerial insectivors also face an increased threat from pesticides and mosquito sprays. The global swift population has dropped 50% in the last 50 years, Driscoll said.
"They're flying around eating insects all day, and there's just not insects to be eaten," she said.
Driscoll worked with Chapel Hill several years ago to remove chimney caps at the U.S. Post Office on Franklin Street, and in 2020, up to 1,500 swifts were counted at the roost. Another 1,000 were spotted at a nearby building. But the population dropped in 2022.
New shrouds added to the Post Office roof have an opening too small for swifts, but other trees on campus could be good roosting spots one day, and a fake chimney or a sculpture at other spots in town could help, Driscoll and others said.
"I don't think people do things to hurt them," said Gail Boyarsky, a birdwatcher and retired teacher. "I think they just don't realize what they're doing has a negative impact."
The life of a chimney swift
Roughly 70 to 80 types of swifts live worldwide, but only the chimney swift is native east of the Rocky Mountains.
The birds head north in March, nesting in April and May to lay four to five eggs. The young take wing 30 to 40 days after hatching. In late August and September, they roost together for warmth each night as they fly south for winter in the Amazon and Peru.
Swifts live and breed in the air, eating up to a third of their body weight each day in flying insects and snatching small twigs in mid-flight to weave into nests, using their saliva to glue their nests to chimneys.
As members of the family Apodidae — meaning "without feet" — swifts cannot perch on twigs and wires, or get up if they land on the ground. They cling to chimneys using opposable toes that turn from back to front and an extended spine for stability.
Scientists analyzed their flight patterns and found they use visual cues to safely avoid each other while flying at speeds between 30 mph and 40 mph. They also have excellent vision, helping them slow down just in time to enter a chimney.
Take action and learn more about birds
: Help is needed to survey roost sites, build "swift towers" and protect natural habitats. Learn more at nc.audubon.org/ways-help/volunteer
Help raise awareness and money for bird and habitat conservation efforts by purchasing a Protect Aerial Insectivores T-shirt . Learn more about chimney swifts and other aerial insectivores at tinyurl.com/bdhx5ptn.
Create a swift habitat: Pass on pesticides in favor of native plants, and let leaves rot on the ground to attract insects that birds love to eat. Leave chimneys uncapped or remove the cap from March to October, or build a chimney swift tower .
Turn off the lights: Reflections can confuse the birds, causing them to fly around until they are exhausted or crash into buildings. Solutions include uplighting, landscaping, less-reflective or multi-paned glass, and turning off the lights between 11 p.m. and dawn.
Join other 'swifties' at a watch party
The New Hope Bird Alliance and the UNC Avian Society are hosting another watch event at Davie Poplar on Oct. 2. More events are planned in Durham and Raleigh. Organizers suggest bringing binoculars, folding chairs, and a jacket for cooler nights.
Tuesday, Sept. 24, in Raleigh: Wake Audubon will host a watch event and program about swifts from 6-7:30 p.m., at The Willard Rooftop Bar and Lounge, 9 Glenwood Ave.
Tuesday, Sept. 24, in Durham: Watch event, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Durham Hotel Rooftop Bar, 315 E. Chapel Hill St. The New Hope Bird Alliance will provide scopes for viewing and advise arriving early to get the best seats.
Sunday, Sept. 29, in Raleigh: Watch event, 6-7:30 p.m. at Broughton High School, 723 St. Mary's St. (corner of Peace and St. Mary's streets). Organizers ask the public to reserve a spot by email at or by calling 919-841-8206.
Monday, Sept. 30, in Durham: Watch event, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Velvet Hippo Neighborhood Bar, third floor of 119 Orange St.
Wednesday, Oct. 2, in Chapel Hill: Watch event, 7 to 8 p.m. at the Davie Poplar on UNC's campus. The tree is located at McCorkle Place, south of Franklin Street near the Old Well. Parking is available in nearby decks and at Morehead Planetarium.
