Engaging diverse, urban communities in creating habitat for Purple Martins, Nighthawks, and Chimney Swifts
In hot pursuit of insects and other prey, Purple Martins, American Kestrels, and Chimney Swifts have historically dotted the Minneapolis and St. Paul skylines and open areas. Chimney Swifts and Purple Martins have adapted to survive in highly populated areas like the Twin Cities and the Kestrels in the surrounding open areas, but they have still suffered population declines of around 54, 78, and 59 percent, respectively, over the past four decades.
The biggest threat facing these birds is loss of nesting habitat. For example, Chimney Swifts roost on vertical surfaces, which used to mean hollow trees. As forests were replaced by cities, the swifts adapted by nesting in brick chimneys. Now, most chimneys have been capped or removed, leaving the swifts with no place to roost, or they are constructed of metal, providing no grip points for the birds.
But while humans have been the root cause of their decline in numbers, we do have a long history of supporting birds in need. In fact, long before the birds’ populations started to crash, Native Americans are said to have hollowed out gourds and erected them to provide artificial housing for Purple Martins. Audubon Minnesota hopes to demonstrate that through the power of community involvement, humans can to help restore wildlife populations.
With an Innovation Grant, Audubon Minnesota and its partners constructed 30 demonstration sites (10 Chimney Swift towers, 10 Purple Martin complexes, and 10 American Kestrel boxes) throughout the Twin Cities and 40 American Kestrel boxes in surrounding open spaces to help local citizens better understand these important birds and their needs, and to foster appreciation and action on their behalf.
The partners developed a toolkit that includes facts about each bird species, how-to guides on constructing habitats, and a monitoring kit to observe each species.
Through this important work, Audubon Minnesota wants to continue to build community appreciation for Purple Martins, Kestrels, and Chimney Swifts, and ensure that the Minneapolis-St. Paul skyline isn’t just a series of skyscrapers, but prime breeding habitat for these important birds as well.