Do I remove my Chimney Swift nests?

I am a huge Chimney Swift fan, and I actually donated an intact nest a few years ago with an egg that you guys put in a case (Since the Swift educational program was only using a sketch of a nest at that time).

Anyway- so my Q pertains to the nests that they make each year in my chimney.

I thought I read that it is important to remove their old nests so that they don't reuse them as they could be unstable. Is that true? Or do they build a fresh nest each year?

IF it is a worry that they would reuse and it potentially would fail them, then I will have it the old one removed.

If you could advise. ALSO is there anyone who would come out to remove the old nests if that should be done? I had been hiring a chimney sweep company but it gets expensive. I haven't needed full cleanings as I don't burn often.

Thanks for being attentive to the chimney swifts that have found a nesting site in your chimney.

I wasn’t sure about their nesting situation, so I went to my friend and naturalist-extraodinaire Judy Semroc. She has maintained a chimney swift tower on her property for eight years or more. Upon examination of her tower, she discovered four nests over that time period.

To answer your question, Judy said that the swifts will decide if a nest can be re-used. If so, they will add new material and new “glue” (ie. their sticky saliva) to them to make them more sturdy. So, yes, they may re-use an old nest. However, other years, they may choose to build a new nest.

Judy does not recommend removing the old nests just because they are old, and she doesn’t know of anyone outside of a chimney sweep that would do nest removal. Judy also recommends that you keep your damper closed during nesting time. The damper will become the “bottom” of the chimney and will catch any nestlings that may fall out of the nest; then, parents will still be able to feed and care for them even if they fall out.

Chimney Swifts come back to the same chimney each year, so you can look forward to the return of “your” birds.  The males usually arrive first and then the females to their nest sites. If you have more questions, click here for Judy’s website.

-Naturalist Linda Gilbert