Another i.d. quest

[Dan Thiem]

Hello everyone,

I would like to know if you knowlegeable birders could help a Very un-educated birder.

We live in S.E. Mn. and every late afternoon, early evening, around 6:00, we get a group of about 6 maybe 8 of these things.

I'm sorry I can't get a picture because they fly around so fast I can't catch them on the view finder.

I am horrible at trying to describe something but I'll do my best, and maybe with a few replies I can figure this bird out.

These things fly like a bat. They have a really fast wing beat. Flutter like a bat does. They have a wingspan of about 10" to maybe a foot. All a drab, dull brown/grey color. They really chatter with their vocals. It sounds like a very fast, multiple chirppings. Like I said horrible at describing. Anyways, no stripes or bands, and it's not a swallow or martin. These things don't have much of a tail if any. Their body is realativly short. Their wings are long and skinny and every now and then they soar, but most of the time their wings are really flapping. They fly all around us for only about an hour and then they are gone.

Any ideas? I wish I could catch one on the camera. I'll keep trying.

Thanks, Dan.

[Steve Foss]

Chimney swift is my guess. They catch insects while flying about, and they can dodge and move, as well as having that flutter to their wingbeats that reminds one of bats. They also have chittering calls in flight, and your wingspan estimate is about right.

['eyesmaster89]

Yep, Sounds like a Chimney Swift. Thay really do chatter when there is a bunch of them flying around.

[Dan Thiem]

Thanks guys now I can look in a book and see a picture of one. And I can impress the family now by saying what them things are.

Thanks again, Dan.