Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

 

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)

– 

Abundance: Common during spring, summer, and fall; recorded in all Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); the trend for the Regional breeding population is probably decreasing (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Summer Resident x

Regional High Count: 1500 (9 October 1991; Pulaski County, Kentucky; Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.); SBC/SBB High Count: 411 (8 May 2010; Pulaski County, Kentucky (SBC); m. ob.); FBC/FBB High Count: 195 (16 September 2006; Putnam County, Tennessee (FBC); m. ob.).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Spring: x (

    Late Fall: x (

    Note: Spring arrival usually widespread by 10 April; fall departure largely complete by 10 October.  Regional dates of earliest reported spring arrival and latest reported fall departure for the years 20022011 follow:

Year Early Spring Arrival Late Fall Departure
2002 1 April 25 October
2003 26 March 9 October
2004 3 April 20 October
2005 5 April 15 October
2006 5 April 3 October
2007 3 April 6 October
2008 8 April --
2009 1 April 20 October
2010 5 April 9 October
2011 31 March 7 October

Breeding: Confirmed (Recent).

Habitat: x

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 33 (of 125) monthly check-lists in 2003 and on 64 (of 206) check-lists during 2004, resulting in YardWatch frequency classifications of Fairly Common and Common, respectively; the former YardWatch frequency classification indicates that the swift was a bit less likely to be encountered in Regional yards and neighborhoods during that year than in the Region as a whole, while the latter is consistent with the Regional abundance classification.

Foray Results: A summary of data from UCR Forays follows (to view a map displaying foray data for a county or a sub-Region for this species, click on the name of an underlined county or state below):

County Dates when Foray Conducted Total Blocks
in County *
Total Blocks in which
Chimney Swift
Recorded
Total Individuals
Recorded
         
Adair 816 June 2014 46 19 28
Barren 1–6 June 2013 54 26 67
Clinton 12–14 June 2009 24 18 71
Cumberland 1620 June 2014 35 22 46
McCreary 30 May5 Jun 2011 51 27 59
Metcalfe 812 June 2013 32 15 24
Monroe 1–12 June 2015 35 22 55
Pulaski 511 June 2010 72 54 120
Russell 1316, 2629 June 2012 31 12 17
Wayne 28 May3 June 2012 54 31 59
         
Kentucky   434 (408) 246 (56.7%) 546
         
Bledsoe 1824 June 2012 48 14 35
Clay 12–15 June 2010 30 19 60
Cumberland 29 May4 June 2010 75 42 120
DeKalb 2326 May 2008 40 30 89
Fentress 1117 June 2012 55 20 40
Jackson 29 May1 Jun 2009 40 29 87
Macon 1722 June 2013 32 14 27
Morgan 1–8 June 2014 58 23 63
Overton 2329 May 2011 47 38 144
Pickett 2225 May 2009 24 18 35
Putnam 6–12 June 2011 46 33 96
Scott 924 June 2016 62 14 24
Smith 1525 June 2015 37 19 29
Van Buren 13–15 June 2011 33 13 30
Warren 1–10 June 2016 47 23 60
White 1–6 June 2015 50 31 66
         
Tennessee   724 (651) 380 (52.5%) 1005
         
Region   1158 (c. 1059) 626 (54.1%) 1551

* Because some foray blocks fall into two or three counties, the total of blocks in the Kentucky or Tennessee portions of the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the counties of each portion of the Region; similarly, because some blocks fall into both states, the total of blocks for the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the two states.

RemarksThe consummate aerial species, performing many tasks while airborne, including copulating, collecting nest material, and obtaining water.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Barren Metcalfe Adair Russell Pulaski
Monroe Cumberland Clinton Wayne McCreary
Macon Clay Pickett Fentress Scott
Smith Jackson Overton Putnam Morgan
DeKalb White Cumberland
Warren Van Buren Bledsoe

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Burgess Falls SP, Putnam/White Counties, TN Barren River Lake SP, Barren County, KY
Cumberland Mountain SP, Cumberland County, TN General Burnside Island SP, Pulaski County, KY
Edgar Evins SP, DeKalb County, TN  
Fall Creek Falls SP, Bledsoe/Van Buren Counties, TN Pulaski County Park, Pulaski County, KY
Frozen Head SNA, Morgan County, TN Waitsboro Recreation Area, Pulaski County, KY
Rock Island SP, Warren/White Counties, TN  
Standing Stone SP, Overton County, TN Big South Fork NRRA, KY and TN
   
Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, TN  
Roaring River Recreation Area, Jackson County, TN  

Literature Cited