The Red River College Campus in Portage la Prairie was awarded the Swift Champion award from the Manitoba Chimney Swift Initiative (MCSI). The college restored an old chimney that's "chimney swift friendly." 

"And the reason that we are here today is our efforts in creating a hospitable environment for chimney swifts -- a species of bird that have been in decline since the 1960s," explains Regional Campus Manager Guy Moffat.. "And they are listed on the endangered species under the Manitoba and federal Species at Risk Acts."

(Second from Right ) Guy Moffat receiving the Swift Champion award

Gordon Ogilvie (chimney toward upper right above)Gordon Ogilvie was key in starting up a chimney swift monitor program as a volunteer in Portage about 15 years ago.

"Originally that chimney was higher than it is now," says Ogilvie. "It's been about two years ago they started doing the renovation work. And they started to cut the height of it down. And to allow the birds to still use it, they made modifications to the design of the liner liner. So, it is chimney swift friendly. I was here last Saturday or so, and I watched two swifts go into it and used it. So, 'it's still being used, even though when you look at it, you wouldn't swear they'd do something like that. They left room for the birds to go into it."

Brick lining for chimney swifts to cling to and roost

He says during his monitoring he saw two chimney swifts went into the Red River College chimney and two went into the Trinity United Church chimney. Ogilvie notes it's a rare bird. He says most people confuse them with swallows. He notes they can't perch on a twig or branch, but hang back from a flat surface.

The inside of the metal base around the chimney was lined with artificial brick, which allows the birds to grasp and roost overnight.

Chimney Swift circling above chimney