Editing Chimney swift (section)

===Feeding===
Like all swifts, the chimney swift forages on the wing.<ref name = "Cornell"/> Studies have shown that {{nowrap|95 percent}} of its food items are flying insects, including various species of [[flies]], [[ant]]s, [[wasp]]s, [[bee]]s, [[whitefly|whiteflies]], [[aphid]]s, [[scale insect]]s, [[stonefly|stoneflies]] and [[mayfly|mayflies]]. It also eats [[ballooning (spider)|airborne spider]]s drifting on their threads.<ref name = "Wauer"/> It is an important predator of pest species such as the [[red imported fire ant]]<ref name = "Whitcomb"/> and the [[Sitona hispidulus|clover root curculio]].<ref name = "Webster"/> Researchers estimate that a pair of adults provisioning a nest with three youngsters consume the weight equivalent of at least {{nowrap|5000–6000 [[housefly]]-sized}} insects per day.<ref name = "Woods"/> Like many bird species, the chimney swift periodically coughs up pellets composed of indigestible bits of prey items.<ref name = "Duke"/>

During the breeding season, at least half of the chimney swift's forays occur within {{convert|0.5|km|mi|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} of its nest; however, it ranges up to {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} away.<ref name = "ON"/> While most of its food is seized following aerial pursuit, some is [[gleaning (birds)|gleaned]] from the [[foliage]] of trees; the bird hovers near the ends of branches or drops through upper canopy levels.<ref name = "George"/> The chimney swift generally flies quite high, though it descends during cold or rainy weather.<ref name = "Crossley"/> When feeding, it regularly occurs in small groups, and sometimes hunts with [[swallow]]s, particularly [[barn swallow]]s and [[purple martin]]s;<ref name = "Dunne2"/> in [[mixed-species flock]]s, it is typically among the lower fliers.<ref name = "Chantler187"/> There is at least one record of a chimney swift attempting to [[kleptoparasitism|steal]] a [[dragonfly]] from a purple martin, and it has been observed chasing other purple martins.<ref name = "Brown"/> In general, it is a [[diurnality|diurnal]] feeder which remains active into early evening. However, there are records, particularly during migration periods, of chimney swifts feeding well after dark over brightly lit buildings.<ref name = "Cottam"/>

The species shows two-weight peaks each year: one at the start of the breeding season, and a higher one shortly before it begins its migration south in the autumn. Its lowest weights are typically recorded during the breeding season, when it also begins a complete [[molt]] of its plumage. The chimney swift's weight gain before [[bird migration|migration]] is smaller than that of some passerines, suggesting that it must refuel en route at various stopover points.<ref name = "Collins"/>