New Mapping Site To Track Chimney Swift Roosts Launches
 Chimney swifts have teardrop-shaped bodies and boomerang-shaped wings. / Photo Credit: iStock/Matthew Jolley
The Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group has launched a new and efficient tool for those interested in monitoring chimney swift roost and nest sites. The tool will be available in time for community scientists to use during Swift Night Out events around the state in August and September.
"This new tool will make it easier for Swift Night Out organizers to submit data on the numbers of roosting swifts they count at these events," said Rich Staffen, DNR conservation biologist and co-chair of the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group. "Anyone out birding or counting swifts at a roost site can use the tool, and it also allows folks to add information on summer chimney swift nesting sites."
The new data collection site and mobile app, Chimney Swift Roost and Nest Data, includes a user-friendly form to contribute data on any swift site being monitored and includes a live map detailing sites across Wisconsin.
How To Host A Swift Night Out Event
Swift Nights Out are community events that count roosting swifts, with an added social component. They’re a wonderful way to raise awareness of chimney swifts and their conservation needs. And they’re easy to host!
- If you know of a chimney used by chimney swifts as a roost site during fall migration, select a date (or multiple) for the Swift Night Out event. You will need to gain permission if the site is private property.
- Share the event information with your community and invite them to come. Also notify the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group so they can promote your event on their website.
- Identify at least one person who will count swifts entering the roost during the event. They should follow the protocol listed below.
- As attendees arrive, welcome them and share information about chimney swifts, then sit back and enjoy the spectacle.
How To Count Swifts
- From mid-August for northern Wisconsin to early September in the southern part of the state, look for tall, uncapped brick chimneys. Watch for swifts swooping and circling near a chimney in the evenings to determine if they might roost there.
- Watch the birds entering the chimney about 20 minutes before sunset until 10 minutes after the last swift enters the chimney. Stay in one location, even if you do not see swifts right away. They may come to your site later. If you have zero swifts entering your chimney, record this. This is still valuable information.
- Count (or estimate) the number of swifts as they enter the chimney. It’s useful to count in groups of five or 10 when they enter quickly in large numbers. A hand-held clicker counter can also be helpful.
- Submit your observations to Chimney Swift and Roost and Nest Data.
- Data sharing is a critical piece of this activity to allow swift conservationists to access your count data!
The 2025 Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan includes chimney swifts as a Species of Greatest Information Need and the Federal State of the Birds Report lists chimney swifts on the Yellow Watch List for birds most at risk for extinction without significant conservation actions. The new survey tool will allow researchers and the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group to more easily interpret information submitted by observers to advance swift conservation. The new survey collection platform, Chimney Swift Roost and Nest Data, will be especially useful in gathering additional information on swift nesting sites and to track long-term usage of these sites.
If observers already use eBird, the DNR strongly encourages them to use the Chimney Swift Roost and Nest Data as the primary place for submitting survey results.
For more information on chimney swift identification, how to protect them or to find a Swift Night Out event near you, visit the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group website.
Boat Safe And Share The Water This Summer
All boaters are reminded to share the water and boat safe this summer.
Wisconsin’s waters are enjoyed by swimmers, anglers, recreational boaters and paddlers alike during the summer months. Boaters should be aware of others on the water and give space.
"We urge boaters to be mindful of their speed and wake size and how it can impact all others enjoying the water – including other motorboats, paddlers and silent sport enthusiasts," said Lt. John Sinclair, DNR Boating Law Administrator. "A little courtesy goes a long way towards keeping everyone safe out on the water."
Some helpful reminders for boaters navigating busy waterways:
- Safety first: Wearing life jackets, avoiding alcohol consumption while operating a boat and being considerate of others using the water are all part of being a responsible boater.
- Maintain a safe speed: Reduce speeds in congested areas like channels and near shore. Avoid repetitive passes in the same location.
- Watch your wake: Be aware of the size and impact of your wake. Large wakes can cause damage to other vessels and docks, erode shorelines and even swamp or capsize other boats.
- Respect no-wake zones: These areas are specifically designated to protect wildlife and reduce shoreline erosion.
- Teach your passengers: Ensure all aboard your boat understand wake safety and the rules.
Paddle Safe
Whether in a canoe, kayak or on a paddleboard, make these safety tips part of any outing:
- Wear it: All paddlers are required to carry a life jacket onboard. The DNR strongly encourages you to wear it. Make sure it is a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket of the correct size and ensure it is properly fitted.
- Plan your trip and share the plan: Let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to return. Store a communication device in a dry bag while on the water.
- Make it identifiable: Put your information on the paddle craft so it can be identified by first responders in an emergency.
- Stay visible: Wear bright clothing. Use lights – especially at dawn, dusk and during other periods of reduced visibility.
- Monitor young, inexperienced paddlers: Be the lookout and help develop their skills as they gain confidence on the water.
- Paddle sober: Impairment impacts judgement and reaction times and can greatly increase risk of injury or death.
- Watch the weather: Check the forecast, monitor conditions and plan accordingly.
Learn more about boating safety on the DNR’s Boating Safety webpage.
|
Eligible Hunters: Sign Up For Fall Gun Deer Hunt For Hunters With Disabilities By Sept. 15
The Wisconsin DNR reminds eligible disabled hunters hoping to participate in the 2026 gun deer hunt for hunters with disabilities to contact and confirm their hunting location with a hunt sponsor before Sept. 15, 2026.
Sponsors have enrolled nearly 70,000 acres of land across 47 counties for this year's hunt taking place Oct. 3-11, 2026. To participate in the 2026 hunt, hunters should contact sponsors directly. Some properties can accommodate more hunters than others, so hunters are advised to contact potential sponsors as early as possible to determine availability.
Eligible hunters may sign up for one sponsored property per year and must possess a gun deer license.
Hunters or assistants should contact sponsors directly to sign up for a hunt and provide their name, contact information and DNR customer ID number. To be eligible, hunters must possess a valid Class A, C or D disabled permit or qualifying Class B permit.
For more information, visit the DNR’s Deer Hunting for Hunters with Disabilities webpage.
Photo Credit: Bob Haase
|
Become A Community Scientist By Surveying Wildlife For The DNR
Anyone can become a community scientist by participating in Operation Deer Watch and the Game Bird Survey.
These surveys are designed to measure the reproductive status of deer and game birds by establishing ratios of adults to juveniles (e.g., fawn-to-doe ratios), which help assess the productivity of Wisconsin’s deer and game bird populations. Along with harvest information, these data provide DNR scientists with key elements needed to make knowledgeable management decisions for game species.
"Wherever you are in Wisconsin, you can get involved and collect data in your area," said Paul Frater, DNR surveys coordinator. "Sightings can easily be submitted through our Survey123 app, and every submission helps us better understand how wildlife are doing throughout the state. The more data that is collected, the better our understanding of game species abundance and distribution in Wisconsin. The DNR encourages everyone interested in wildlife – from hunters and trappers to outdoor enthusiasts – to take part."
Participation in Operation Deer Watch and the Game Bird Survey requires no registration, and observations can be recorded using a mobile device. Please do not attempt to enter submissions while operating a vehicle.
Details
Operation Deer Watch – Members of the public can report location, age, sex and the number of deer seen from dawn to dusk during the summer months. This information helps to determine the fawn-to-doe ratio and, ultimately, deer population estimates. The deadline to submit observations is Sept. 30.
Game Bird Survey – Members of the public can collect information on the types and numbers of game birds they observe during the summer months. This information is the basis for monitoring the reproduction of game birds for that breeding year. The deadline to submit observations is Aug. 31.
More information and links for both surveys are available on the DNR’s Operation Deer Watch and Game Bird Survey webpages.
Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
|
|
