citizen science

Chimney Swifts

Chimney Swifts

What draws most people’s attention to Chimney Swifts in the fall is their incredible roosting behavior. Chimney Swifts spend 90% of their lives flying—only pausing their lives on-the-wing to roost and to nest. They eat, sleep, and mate while flying. In migration, flocks of Chimney Swifts roost in—you guessed it—chimneys, clinging with their feet to the walls while they sleep.

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren FCC

American Kestrel: 2025 nest box and banding report

In spring and summer, over a hundred volunteers give their time, energy, gas money, and hearts to American Kestrels. Why? Because this species is beautiful, fierce, and in decline; and the focal point of our citizen science program the Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring & Banding Program (KNB for short). Each year, hundreds of kestrel chicks fledge from the boxes these volunteers steward, and those chicks and some of the adults are banded for research. And each year, we try to get creative about how we can continue to make it easier for kestrels to successfully raise their young in southern Wisconsin.

Photo by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA

2025 Midwest Crane Count at Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance's Columbia County lands

The annual Crane Count, coordinated by the International Crane Foundation, was held on April 12. It was a beautiful morning to count cranes and enjoy the wetland birds.

Photo by Graham Steinhauer/SoWBA