Chimney Swift Bird Nests
collected pre-1920
(L) 3.5 x 3 x 1.5
(R) 3.25 x 2.75 x 1.5
Illinois State Museum Holland Collection The Chimney Swift constructs its distinctive nests in chimneys and on other vertically enclosed, isolated surfaces.
Unable to perch or stand upright like songbirds, they are uniquely qualified to roost on vertical surfaces.
Using a mastic of spittle, the swift gathers and interweaves twigs to create a shelf- like affair that holds up to four eggs during incubation.