By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – A special species of bird has found its way to the Hi-Line for the first time, and Montana researchers are seeking the public’s help in documenting their presence.
Peter Dudley, Conservation Ranching Assistant for Montana Audubon, provided a presentation at MSU-Northern on the Chimney Swift on Thursday evening.
“The typical way that people talk about Chimney Swifts is they look like a cigar on wings. So they have a cigar body, and their wings are this beautiful crescent, really elegant crescent shape. There are birds that look kind of similar, swallows look similar. But Swifts have a really distinct gliding motion. They can flap kind of like bats when they do flap, but typically, you’ll see them kind of cruising and gliding around the sky.
Dudley says that researchers would like interested members of the public to conduct surveys for the bird during their free time during the rest of July, and that this will help conservation efforts.
The bird was first documented in 1758, but until recent decades, it was only thought to be in the U.S. east of North Dakota.
For more information on the Chimney Swift and how to survey for them, visit MontanaBirdSurveys.com. The best time to survey is from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunset.
“Pretty much anyone can go on there, familiarize themselves with the identification of these birds, and also familiarize yourself with the survey protocols. All it takes is an app on your phone, and you can do it any day of the week up until July 31st. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at peter@mtaudubon.org, or you can call our office in Helena (406-443-3949) and ask for Peter.”
This project is a collaboration with many entities, including Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Montana Natural Heritage Program and Americorps.
Parts 1 and 2 of New Media Broadcasters’ Conversation with Dudley is available below.
