Chimney Swift Tower Coming to Longleaf Center
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Have you heard the news?! We will be installing a nesting tower for Chimney Swifts at Longleaf Center on Monday, November 18th! Chimney swifts are migratory birds that spend the spring and summer months in North America and migrate to South America in the fall. Their original nesting habitat included hollow trees in old growth forests and caves, but over time, they adapted to nesting in chimneys built by humans. Today many traditional chimneys are capped to keep rain out, which prevents swifts from nesting. Now the Chimney Swift population is in decline due to habitat loss. We are excited to provide a place for swifts to raise their young on our campus!
Exciting news from Longleaf!
This week, in partnership with North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Cape Fear Audubon, we proudly installed a 14-foot Chimney Swift Tower at our Longleaf Center!
Over the course of two busy days, we poured the concrete foundation, assembled the tower in sections, and added primed siding to protect it. Soon, we’ll paint it white and get creative with our Middle School artists to design mural-style artwork on its sides!
Why a Chimney Swift Tower?
Chimney Swifts are incredible migratory birds that nest in North America and winter in South America. Historically, they nested in hollow trees, but as habitats and traditional chimneys have disappeared, their population has sharply declined. A dedicated nesting tower like ours provides a safe space for these birds to raise their young. We’re hoping to welcome a nesting pair this spring!
This is Wilmington’s first Chimney Swift Tower, with two more on the way, thanks to funding from Duke Energy and Women’s Impact Network. A huge thanks to our partners and volunteers who brought this project to life:
Cape Fear Audubon: Special shoutout to Tony Peele for constructing the tower sections!
NC Wildlife Federation: Page Turner, Luke Bennett, Natalie Bohorquez, and Mary Bures
FSW Staff & Volunteers: Mike Cook, Tim McGlinn, and Karen & Terry Linehan
Stay tuned for updates on the mural and the arrival of our feathered friends! For more information on this project or others at Longleaf Center, reach out to Karen Linehan, Environmental Education Coordinator.
- Environmental Ed