A New Method for Trapping Chimney Swifts and Other Birds That Nest in Vertical Hollows

Abstract

Previous Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) trapping efforts relied on chimney-top box traps at large roost sites, which were disruptive and inefficient when targeting individual birds. I designed a hoop net for use at nest chimneys to trap individual breeding birds. I caught 13 swifts at 11 different sites in Guelph, Ontario, Canada over two summers with no site abandonment. This trap is superior for trapping individuals because it: (1) can be deployed quickly without scaling the chimney, (2) will work on chimneys of different sizes and shapes, and (3) minimizes disturbance to birds. My results indicate this net is an efficient, safe, and relatively simple method of trapping individual Chimney Swifts at their nest chimneys.