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

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

An Eurasian wigeon in Seekonk, three cattle egrets in Fairhaven and a Western tanager and a late chimney swift in Mansfield. —Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Oct. 2022

To help the birds out, conservation groups have built chimneys called chimney swift towers. —Linda Girardi, chicagotribune.com, 21 Sep. 2021

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

Observers spotted a chimney swift and a gray catbird in Belmont and an orchard oriole in Needham. —BostonGlobe.com, 17 Apr. 2021

While chimney swifts typically fly higher, rainy weather can cause them to forage lower to the ground. —Sophie Lewis, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2019

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

The birds, identified as chimney swifts, hit the windows of the NASCAR Hall of Fame building, according to video from CNN affiliate WSOC. —Amanda Watts, CNN, 16 Oct. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chimney swift

• adrift
• airlift
• facelift
• festschrift
• forklift
• gearshift
• makeshift
• redshift
• sealift
• snowdrift
• spendthrift
• clift

Kids Definition

chimney swift

noun

: a small sooty-gray bird with long narrow wings that often builds its nest inside an unused chimney