a widespread breeding visitor to much of the eastern half of the united states and the southern reaches of eastern canada, the chimney swift migrates to south america for the winter. it is a rare summer visitor to the western u.s, and has been recorded as a vagrant in anguilla, barbados, greenland, jamaica, portugal, the united kingdom and the u.s. virgin islands. it is found over open country, savanna, wooded slopes and humid forests.