. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. Drawing by R. I. Brasher CHIMNEY SWIFT (J nat. size) A bird who is never at rest except when he is at home as the " small-boy bird of the ; All of the Swallows, and especially the Barn Swallow, seem to frolic a good deal on the wing, but their near relative, the Swift, is even more sportive. It is not uncommon to see two of them engaged in what appears to be a contest of speed, and skill in dodging, very like the small-boy's game of tag, keeping up meanwhile their very rapid chi]i- ping note, which may be their equivalent of laughter.
. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. Drawing by R. I. Brasher CHIMNEY SWIFT (J nat. size) A bird who is never at rest except when he is at home as the " small-boy bird of the ; All of the Swallows, and especially the Barn Swallow, seem to frolic a good deal on the wing, but their near relative, the Swift, is even more sportive. It is not uncommon to see two of them engaged in what appears to be a contest of speed, and skill in dodging, very like the small-boy's game of tag, keeping up meanwhile their very rapid chi]i- ping note, which may be their equivalent of laughter. The Swift is very rapid and adroit on the wing, but is not so graceful a flyer as the Barn Swallow. However, it apparently has the more endurance of the two, for it is never seen to alight, and undoubtedly is steadily on the wing from the time it leaves its chimnev-nest until it returns. Very likely this period of unceasing and rapid flight often lasts for an hour or two, and all of the bird's food is captured and eaten — except such as it takes to its young — while it is on the wing. Like the Barn and Eave Swallows, the Swift's nesting habits have been changed by its coming into contact with man and his works. Originally the bird's nesting place was in a hollow tree. " I well remember the time," wrote Audubon, "when in lower Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois many resorted to excavated branches and trunks for the purpose of breeding; nay, so strong is the influence of original habit that not a few still [about 1808] betake themselves to such places, not only to roost, but also to breed. ... In such instances they appear to be as nice in the choice of a tree as they generally are in our cities in the choice of a chimney wherein to roost. Syca- mores of a gigantic growth, and having a mere .shell of bark and wood to support them, seem. Photo by H. K. Job rtcsy of Outing Pub. Co. YOUNG CHIMNEY SWIFTS Clinging to the wall like bats to suit them best; and wherever I
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Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidbirdsofameri, bookyear1923
