The Swifts Return!

Each September, thousands of Vaux’s Swifts return to Portland, a stopover on their long migration south. And for decades, Portlanders and Bird Alliance of Oregon have gone to Chapman Elementary in NW Portland to watch the spectacle of thousands of birds entering the chimney at dusk.

In this class we’ll explore the fascinating life history of these tiny, incredible birds, and answer some of the questions we all have: Where are they going? What do they eat? How do they all fit in that chimney?! We’ll also get a lesson on community science from Candace Larson, our Master Naturalist who has been conducting swift counts at Chapman for years.