chimney swift
noun
: a small sooty-gray swift (Chaetura pelagica) with long narrow wings that often builds its nest inside an unused chimney
called also chimney swallow
Examples of chimney swift in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Along the way, visitors may spot signs of the sanctuary’s most visible resident, the beaver, from impressive dams to cleverly constructed dens and lodges, as well as birds such as the snow goose, lapland longspur, and chimney swift.
—
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
Worcester County: An Eastern kingbird in New Braintree, three black vultures in Athol, a late snow bunting at the Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area in Bolton, a snowy egret in Rutland, and a chimney swift in Westboro.
—Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Apr. 2023
The chimney swift has a 5-inch-long body and a 12-inch wingspan and weighs less than an ounce.
—Linda Girardi, chicagotribune.com, 21 Sep. 2021
The birds — identified as chimney swifts, which migrate from the United States to South America in the fall — were caught on video flying into the large building, which opened in May 2010.
—Ashley Boucher, PEOPLE.com, 16 Oct. 2019
While chimney swifts typically fly higher, rainy weather can cause them to forage lower to the ground.
—Sophie Lewis, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2019
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Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
Worcester County: An Eastern kingbird in New Braintree, three black vultures in Athol, a late snow bunting at the Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area in Bolton, a snowy egret in Rutland, and a chimney swift in Westboro.
—Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Apr. 2023
The chimney swift has a 5-inch-long body and a 12-inch wingspan and weighs less than an ounce.
—Linda Girardi, chicagotribune.com, 21 Sep. 2021
The birds — identified as chimney swifts, which migrate from the United States to South America in the fall — were caught on video flying into the large building, which opened in May 2010.
—Ashley Boucher, PEOPLE.com, 16 Oct. 2019
While chimney swifts typically fly higher, rainy weather can cause them to forage lower to the ground.
—Sophie Lewis, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Chimney swift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimney%20swift. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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