Post Overview: How to see the Portland Swifts at Chapman Elementary
Ah Portland, the longer I live here the more I fall in love with the City of Roses. I mean, there’s SO many interesting things to do! One of which is experiencing the roosting swifts in Portland.
Every September, like clockwork, Chapman Elementary School’s chimney plays host to a flock of Vaux’s Swifts (sometimes 12,000 strong) that dive into the chimney for the night, en route to Central America.
This is one of the largest known swift roosts in the world, what a treat to see first hand! Read on for everything you need to know before you go.
How to See the Vaux Swifts in Portland
Click for a handy Table of Contents!
Quick Cheat-Sheet:
- During the month of September, arrive one hour before sunset to Chapman Elementary School.
- The swifts show up around 6:30-7pm, they circle/enter the chimney around 7-7:30pm.
How to See the Portland Swifts
If you’d like to witness the swifts in Portland for yourself, visit Chapman Elementary School (located in NW Portland) about an hour before sunset any day in September.
Watch the cotton candy get speckled with swifts as they encircle the school’s chimney, which becomes a temporary home for 12,000 – 15,000 swifts while they migrate south toward Central America.
Slowly, you’ll notice the birds dive inside, resulting in a tornado of swifts flying in by the dozens until the entire flock disappears as quickly as it arrived
Parking options: Watching the swifts in Portland is a very popular event. Sometimes up to 3,000+ spectators show up in single evening (yeah, it’s that good). Parking is limited and hard to find. I suggest parking (for free) at Montgomery Park, it’s just 6 blocks away from the school.
Pack a picnic: Most folks watching the swifts at Chapman Elementary bring a picnic blanket and basket to the event. Follow suit! It’s a great way to spend the evening, especially if you invite some friends. If you have kids, bring a large cardboard box so they can slide down the grassy hills.
Learn About the Portland Chimney Swifts (Chapman Swifts)
Chapman Elementary is one of the largest known swift roosting sites in the world, providing a valuable layover for Vaux’s Swifts during their fall migration.
The Chapman swifts were first observed roosting in Portland in the late 1980s and have since returned every year without fail (even during the smoke haze in the summer of 2020).
When the school’s chimney was decommissioned (many years ago), the community passionately rallied together to preserve the chimney to ensure the birds had a place to nest for the night.
Watching the swifts at Chapman Elementary became so popular the Audubon Society made this an official community event in 2009. The Audubon Society counts swifts as they enter the chimney, the current average is up to 12,000 per night!
Good to Know: Every once in a while you may noatice a Cooper’s Hawk perched atop the chimney, patiently awaiting dinner. The circle of life, my friends.
Migration Patterns of Vaux Swifts to Portland
The gray-coated Vaux’s swift is a tiny bird, it’s only 5-inches long. The body is often compared to the shape of a cigar and when witnessed in flocks, they look like winged cylinders.
In the spring and summer the swifts live in the Pacific Northwest but by August start their long journey south. They mate in early spring, lay eggs in July and fly out in August.
The layover at Chapman is one of many nightly stops they make during their yearly migration to Central America and South America. The biggest difference between swifts and other migrating birds are the sleeping habits.
Swifts fly in flocks, thousands at a time, and take flight during the daytime. Come night, they need places to roost. Because of the sheer size of the flock (sometimes 15,000 strong), Vaux’s swifts can’t rely on nests.
The birds need to find enclosed areas that provide shelter and can accommodate the entire flock, like cavities of old-growth trees. But since many forests have been logged, the swifts in Portland have learned to roost in chimney at Chapman Chimney.
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I hope you found this quick guide helpful. Enjoy the swifts in Portland!
Until next time,
Antonina
the audubon society posted that the swift viewing event is canceled again for 2021 due to covid-19 and the delta variant surge, understandably (and unfortunately). hopefully next year!
https://audubonportland.org/go-outside/swift-watch/
Thank you, I have updated the article.
I’ve been several times to watch the swifts in Portland and I have never been disappointed. It’s a wonderful experience and you will share it with hundreds of fellow Portlanders and some beyond!