UK Swift Population sinks to new low - it's official

The UK's Swift population has sunk to a new low. In the past 14 years Scotland has lost 53% of its Swifts, England 41% and the South East a horrendous 55%. So says the British Trust for Ornithology in its just-published "Breeding Bird Survey" report.
The prestigious and respected BTO is the UK's foremost authority on bird populations, and is relied on heavily by Government for advice.
Will the Government take action to help Swifts? They only protected the Otter after it became extinct so on past form it seems very unlikely, but you can encourage them! Click here to Fax your MP - it's free!

This photograph of a Swift sheltering on a windowsill high above the French town of Grenoble was taken by Jake Campbell on May 28th 2007, when the weather across parts of Europe was very cold and wet. The worst UK summer for 50 years meant that Swifts struggled to raise their chicks, as their flying insect food supply failed and they had to travel extra distances to where food might be available. Swifts raised only half the number of chicks in 2007 that they did in 2006. We will soon find out how they fared this summer, and we will let you know!    Photograph © Jake Campbell

Swifts get new homes in Guernsey!
Local Swift enthusiast Vic Froome masterminded a project to convert a wartime observation tower, built on top of an historic mill, into a multi-storey residence for Swifts. Using DIY nestboxes, coated with weatherproof fibre glass, he and his friends have created a superb site for future generations of Swifts to breed in.

Swift protection schemes forge ahead in Poland
Poland is way ahead of the UK in recognising the problems that Swifts face in nesting in new and refurbished buildings. So much so that nest place schemes have been set up in Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz and some small towns too. Some of the installations have been funded by the Polish National Fund for Environment Conservation. Click on the Swift buttons below to see what is being achieved!

Please scroll down these sites to see all the photos.
 
Views of Swift nest boxes installed in Milanowek, Warsaw

Installation of boxes on the 11th floor of a block of flats

Boxes fitted to louvres in a church on Dewajtis street, Warsaw


In Krakow boxes were installed in 2007 on the Municipal Offices and on the halls of residence of the University of Science and Metallurgy, the Academy of Physical Education and the Academy of Agriculture. The boxes were inspected for the first time this year at the beginning of May; in four of them Starling eggs and female Starlings were found, which is surprising because the boxes had been put up on high buildings. The boxes will be inspected again at the end of June so that the Swifts are not disturbed at the beginning of the breeding season. Last year's inspection of the boxes revealed that 40 of them had been visited by Swifts, so this is an indication of a potentially successful 2008 breeding season, provided the weather is kind.      Photograph © Mariusz Grzeniewski Warszawski Oddzial TP Bocian

But see what tragedies happen when Swifts' nest holes are blocked - click on the Swift button

Success for our nest boxes at the London Zoo!
In 2003 London Zoo invited us to help set up Swift colonies at their Regent's Park site. Last summer our efforts were crowned with success! Nestboxes fitted under the wide eaves of the "Bugs!" building were used even though Swifts had never bred before at the Zoo. This shows that they will nest in new sites away from existing colonies.

Swift Pole Colonies  -  Sponsors Wanted!

We know Swifts will exploit motorway lights for nestplaces, if they can gain access to make their nests inside. Dick Newell of Action for Swifts and the Ely Swifts Group is working on a pole-mounted Swift Colony (see the sketch on the left). Dick's idea, inspired by similar German House Martin pole-mounted colonies, is to produce a simple all-in-one colony ideal for nature reserves and industrial sites.
If you would like more information or to sponsor the erection of such a colony, which can fit onto the poles used for mobile phone masts, as well as those used for goods yard, industrial estate and motorway lights, please contact Dick at dick.newell@gmail.com


 

Swift nest boxes go up at the Lambeth Hospital

Steven Robinson, a Community Psychiatric Nurse at the Lambeth Hospital, (part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust), was keen to see Swifts breeding there. With the help of Swift Conservation, (who surveyed the site for nest box positions), the Hospital's estates management staff, and Lambeth Council's Parks & Green Spaces Team, (who funded the project) he achieved his aim; ten new Schwegler Swift nest boxes installed and ready for occupation in 2008. Photographs © Iain Boulton (London Borough of Lambeth) & (middle) © Steven Robinson (SLaM)

 
Swift Conservation's new D-I-Y Swift & Bat Nest Box

Click on the Swift to download the design for our exciting new Swift nesting box with Pipistrelle Bat roost. Coming soon! How to make a double Swift nest box from a Claret Wine Case!
 

Ibstock Brick introduces a new UK-made Swift Brick
UK Brick Manufacturers Ibstock have introduced a new Swift Brick made from sustainable and recycled materials. Designed with the help of Graham Roberts, well-known for his Swift conservation work with the Sussex Ornithological Society and West Sussex County Council, it is ideal for use in both new-build and major restoration projects.

Click here to visit our Shopping! page to find out more about the Ibstock Swift Brick and how to obtain it.  Photograph © Ibstock Brick


Our Next Talks & Shows
Let us know if you would like a talk or presentation from us at your event or venue - click here to e-mail us

Look out for our latest Projects
Swifts at your local M & S!
For the past year we have been working with Marks and Spencer to install Swift nest boxes on their outer London, Home Counties and Scottish stores. Watch this site for more details and photographs as the project unfolds!
Swifts at Holland Park!
Swift Conservation and Jennifer O'Riley of the Holland Park Ecology Centre got together to install Swift nest boxes in the louvred clock tower that rises above the Old Stableyard in Holland Park, an ideal site for Swifts to colonise. The boxes have a sound system that is playing Swift calls to attract the birds to inspect the nest places.
Swifts at the Wetlands Centre!
Swift Conservation got together with Richard Bullock and his colleagues at the Wetlands Centre off Castlenau, just across the Hammersmith Bridge, to erect Swift nestboxes on their buildings. Lots of Swifts feed over the ponds there, but so far they haven't had anywhere to nest. By using a Swift Calls CD to attract the birds we are hopeful they'll start breeding soon.
Swifts at Islington Council Offices!
Swift Conservation worked with Leanne Brisland and Andrew Bedford of the London Borough of Islington to install 20 Swift nestplaces at the Municipal Offices at Highbury and Islington (see photo above right). The 10 double chamber Schwegler boxes were installed in time for the 2007 nesting season. Watch this space for developments!
Swifts at Camden Town Hall!
Camden Council's Moy Cash and Quentin Given worked with Swift Conservation and the RSPB to have 8 Swift nestplaces installed on the roof of the Town Hall Extension opposite King's Cross station, right in the heart of London - yet Swifts still fly overhead!

See more of our Projects - click on the Swift!

Success for Swift Attraction Calls CD!
Brian Cahalane of Northern Ireland set up his own Swift colony
He used a Swift Calls CD to attract the birds to a previously unused nesting area. This is how he did it - you can do it too!
Photograph © Edward Mayer

"If you have Swifts nesting in your area it is usually relatively easy to attract them to new nesting boxes, especially by using a calls CD. However it is much more difficult to attract Swifts to use nest boxes outside of their comfort zone, and this is where the CD comes into its own. Play the CD on a CD player linked to a separate amplifier, use cheap speaker cable and as many speakers as possible, each one right beside a nest box. I often have twelve speakers going at once. I bought the cheapest and smallest speakers you can buy. Play from late April onwards, continuously from dawn to darkness as loud as you dare, and you will attract Swifts. But it may take two seasons for them to nest. I have been able to attract Swifts from a half mile away and more. I conducted a simple experiment using my wife and son and mobile phones. One was positioned at the house, the other a quarter of a mile away, and myself a half mile away. It's almost a straight line from my house to the centre of the village. A phone call from myself and the CD was switched on at my house at full volume, I could hear it in the village. Swifts began to move towards my house and I could observe them through my binoculars, when they passed my wife she rang me, and when they arrived at the house my son rang me. I have 24 potential nesting sites and often have as many as ten speakers playing at once, positioned at ten boxes. As I now have a colony established there are now many visits from Swift "prospectors" coming by themselves to investigate."

Swift Conservation supplies a Swift Calls CD made from recordings made at Ulrich Tigges' Berlin Swift Colony. You can either download a track free or order a free copy (we ask for a donation of 12 First Class postage stamps to cover production and delivery costs).

Click on the Swift to learn how to use the Swift Calls CD

Order a Swift Calls CD - click on the Swift!

For further information contact Swift Conservation

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Thank you for your interest - Please help Swifts!