SF Bayflower: [2X MATCH] Please help bring birds back from the tipping point

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

[2X MATCH] Please help bring birds back from the tipping point

Chimney Swift.

KAREN, the Chimney Swift once nested in hollow trees—yet today, they nearly always rely on chimneys and other structures. In late summer, hundreds or even thousands may swirl overhead before funneling into a single roost at dusk. But according to the 2025 State of the Birds Report, this beloved species—alongside 36 other birds—was named an Orange Alert “Tipping Point” species, experiencing long-term population losses and accelerated recent declines within the past decade.

The consequences of these losses ripple outwards. When birds are in trouble, so are we. Please be one of the caring friends we’re counting on to start an annual donation ahead of World Migratory Bird Day while your first gift could be matched, up to $30,000, to build a brighter future for the birds you love.

Little is known about Chimney Swifts outside of their breeding grounds, and a better understanding of their full annual cycle ecology is key to understanding the causes of their declines. That’s why our scientists and local partners are using cutting-edge Motus wildlife tracking technology to follow rehabilitated Chimney Swifts beyond their release sites. This work not only sheds light on the movements of a declining species—it also brings local communities into the heart of conservation.

For more than 120 years, our comprehensive program of science, advocacy, habitat restoration, and education has been a powerful force in preventing future extinctions. But our work is far from done. Please, start your annual gift in honor of World Migratory Bird Day while it could go twice as far for birds and the places they need.

Sincerely,

National Audubon Society

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Photo: Alessandro Retacchi/Audubon Photography Awards; Graphics: Bobolink, Emily Renaud, derived from Alex Tomlinson/Audubon; Chimney Swift, Emily Renaud, derived from Alex Tomlinson/Audubon