Did You Know

12-foot-tall art installation on Noonday Creek Trail doubles as a safe haven for migratory birds

Visitors strolling along the Noonday Creek Trail may notice a colorful, 12-foot-tall structure that resembles a chimney. While it doubles as a piece of public art, the Chimney Swift Tower serves an important purpose by providing a safe place for migratory birds to nest and roost.

Installed in 2020 through a partnership between Town Center Community and Birds Georgia (formerly Georgia Audubon), the tower was designed specifically for chimney swifts. The near-threatened species of migratory birds travel from South America to Georgia each spring. These birds historically nest in hollow trees. But as development has reduced those natural spaces and homeowners increasingly cap their chimneys, suitable nesting sites have become harder to find. The tower, designed by Birds Georgia and hand-painted by Atlanta-based muralist Christina Ward, mimics the birds' natural habitat and provides a crucial place to raise their young and rest.

Chimney swifts also serve as the trail's natural pest control, eating up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects each day.

If you visit the trail in late summer or early fall, keep an eye on the tower around dusk. Large flocks of chimney swifts may gather overhead before funneling into the structure for the night in a spectacular display that resembles smoke drifting into a chimney.

For bird watchers, the Noonday Creek Trail offers no shortage of avian sightings. More than 157 bird species have been documented along the trail, making it a destination for both casual observers and dedicated enthusiasts.