It’s been an exciting time for the Manitoba Chimney Swift Initiative! A new swift site was discovered; CBC picked up the story, published an article, and it even made its way onto the radio… all within the span of a few weeks!
The Manitoba Chimney Swift Initiative (MCSI) aids in the facilitation of Chimney Swift conservation across Manitoba. Each summer, the swifts return to Manitoba from their wintering grounds in South America, where they come to reproduce and raise their young. Chimney Swifts are considered Threatened in the province, largely due to habitat loss. Swifts depend on masonry chimneys for nesting and roosting, since their anatomy only allows them to grip the sides of vertical surfaces, rather than perching. The MCSI aims to help swifts through tangible efforts such as research and monitoring, habitat stewardship, and community outreach.
Recently, a new Chimney Swift site was established at a private residence in Winnipeg’s Old Tuxedo neighbourhood. The CBC article details the events which led to the site’s discovery: the homeowners – Nettie and Thomas Rempel-Ong – began hearing the chittering of swifts coming from their fireplace earlier in the season. They ‘swiftly’ (see what I did, there?) realized that the presence of wildlife within their chimney likely warranted a call to the pros. Tim Poole (MCSI Steering Committee Chair) received word and notified Program Coordinator Mackenzie Glover of the potential site. She conducted a daytime monitoring session at the home on July 10th and confirmed the site was being used, having observed a confident entry into the chimney plus four more swifts flying in the vicinity!
Mackenzie was then contacted directly by CBC’s Bryce Hoye, who was keen on producing the story. She was invited to the site to be interviewed, film a video segment, and chat about all things swifts! Then, to help spread the word of the article (which went live on Sunday, July 26th), she was asked to participate in a radio interview with CBC that very morning. This gave her the opportunity to provide context to the news story and talk about the work of MCSI more broadly.
We’re truly thrilled to be a part of such an uplifting story. This situation has not only shared MCSI’s mission with a bigger audience, but it also demonstrates how homeowners themselves can play a direct role in the conservation of Manitoba’s Chimney Swifts. Too often, unexpected wildlife in the home is regarded as a nuisance to be dealt with – but in this case, Thomas’s genuine excitement and willingness to share his space with this Species at Risk is heartwarming beyond measure. Instances like this do more for that shift in perception than many other strategies ever could.
We’d like to say a huge thank-you to Thomas and Nettie for seeing their swifts as neighbours worth making a little room inside their home for! We encourage everyone to read the full story here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/chimney-swifts-winnipeg-protected-habitat-9.7274190.
Written by Brooke (Program Assistant)