ST. MARYS, Ohio (WLIO) — The Heritage Trails Park District is gearing up for two nighttime events where area bird watchers can learn about the chimney swift.
The chimney swift is a long-distance migratory bird capable of flying up to 500 miles per day. The species consumes more than 6,000 insects, bugs and mosquitoes daily. They can also reach speeds of 70 mph or faster and spend most of their lives in the air — even sleeping while flying. Before migrating south to Peru and Brazil for the winter, chimney swifts utilize chimneys in a unique way for resting, something Heritage Trails wants the public to experience firsthand.
"What we hope to do, during our program, is to watch as a large colony of chimney swifts fly in spectacular formations in like a tornado or a vortex shape and dive into a large chimney to go to bed for the night," says Terry McDonald, Administrative Assistant, Heritage Trails Park District.
St. Marys West Intermediate School will host one of the Swift Night Out events, and administrators say they are excited to bring the educational opportunity to their campus.
"We are really excited that Heritage Trails reached out to us to put on a program here at St. Marys Intermediate School to educate not only our students but also our community about the chimney swifts that are out at our location. I have learned a great deal from Terry, who will be talking about the program. She has also invited a book mobile that will be here, so the students and family members can adopt a book and take it home and enjoy reading," says Amanda Wendel, Principal, St. Marys West Intermediate School.
The first Swift Night Out is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the former Buckland School. The second will be held Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Marys West Intermediate School.
