By Sandy Miller
Beginning in the late 1980s many SE Portlanders flocked to the northwest side of town every September. Their destination was Chapman School, where at dusk a huge swirling flock of small, cigar-shaped birds descended into the building’s chimney as darkness fell. These birds were Vaux’s (rhymes with “foxes”) Swifts, migrating avian visitors residing in the metro area from spring through fall each year.
These compact flyers have long, arched wings and short tails, and they forage in pairs (or more typically in small to large flocks) with an erratic, twisting flight similar to that of bats. They are voracious insectivores, spending almost all their daylight hours on the wing and feeding from dawn to dusk on insects and spiders.
Their natural roosting sites are in old growth forests, in the hollows or snags of dead or dying trees, where their unique foot anatomy enables them to cling vertically. In fact, they are unable to perch on branches. Especially when roosting, their repertoire of chatters, buzzes, squeaks and chirps may be audible to listeners.
For several decades, with the loss of their forest habitat, these swifts have increasingly used the brick chimneys of urban buildings including homes, churches and schools for roosting. At Chapman School over 5,000 birds have been recorded on a single night—along with several thousand human celebrants on the sloping lawn to observe the striking sight.
But in 2024, after almost 40 years of reliably roosting at Chapman, the flock abandoned that spot in the middle of their migration cycle in mid-September. Some were soon seen at several other local chimneys in smaller numbers. No swifts appeared at Chapman during 2025.
The cause is unknown. Increased predation (peregrine falcons and Cooper’s hawks are common predators in this region), changing migration habits or unknown environmental factors may have led to the abrupt end to the pattern.
The Bird Alliance of Oregon (formerly Portland Audubon Society) wants to solve the mystery. Three likely sites, including Chapman itself, Holy Trinity Church in the Kerns neighborhood and a former LDS church in the Sunnyside neighborhood were observed during the 2025 season, but no swifts appeared at any of the three that year. Instead, several other new locations throughout town hosted roosting swifts.
Major new SE roosting sites for the swift during the 2025 season included Abernethy Elementary School in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood, which hosted over 7,000 birds, and St. Sharbel’s Catholic Church in Ladd’s Addition, which attracted around 1,500. Both of those sites may again be graced by these engaging seasonal visitors within the next few weeks, or they may choose to roost elsewhere in our area.
According to Chris Williams of the Bird Alliance, this swift is not classified as endangered or threatened, but its population in our state has been declining about one percent annually for over 50 years, and it has been listed as a “species of concern” in both California and Washington. The Bird Alliance has been monitoring the local Vaux’s Swift population since 2009. Community volunteers are trained every August to join the crews that count the number of birds at roosting sites all over the metro area.
Williams, a Bay Area native who has called the Pacific Northwest home for several years, is a former US Park ranger who worked in varied settings (the Olympic peninsula, the Cascades and Saguaro National Park) in that capacity. He now creates and teaches classes and runs field trips for adults at the Bird Alliance. He will be presenting an online class, “Swifts 101,” Wednesday, September 2, 6-7 pm. There is still space in the class, which costs $25 for Bird Alliance members or $35 for nonmembers (register at bit.ly/45y8upi).
How can you help the swifts? It’s too late to get trained as a volunteer swift counter for this year, but consider it for next season. Check out the Bird Alliance’s requirements at bit.ly/4xfm6Sz.
You can also look for swifts in your neighborhood and report any swifts going to roost this season at bit.ly/4wxypZi. Vaux’s Swifts won’t be seen at bird feeders, since they are insectivorous, but their erratic flights and chatter may alert you during the day, or at dusk you may be lucky enough to sight some. The Bird Alliance reminds you to be respectful of private property and to use ecofriendly navigation (walk, bike, use public transportation) if possible.
Any questions or concerns about the swifts can be sent to swiftwatchpdx@gmail.com. The email is monitored by a Bird Alliance volunteer.
What will happen this year? Since the number of swifts seen roosting in various chimneys in SE increased in both 2024 and 2025, there’s a chance that at least some will be seen in the area in the coming weeks. The peak roosting period here starts in late August, with the most spectacular displays happening between late September and early October, when the birds head south for the winter. Only time will tell.
Vaux’s Swifts entering a chimney to roost. Photo by Tara Lemezis.
