Common swifts are rapidly declining in Britain, largely due to the loss of nest sites in older buildings during renovation. Understanding how to support swifts helps people take direct and meaningful action.
Swift welfare is affected by the loss of nest sites that forces pairs to fail to breed in years when no suitable alternative is found. Pairs that return from Africa to find their nest site blocked face the stress of searching for alternatives, often unsuccessfully. The simplicity of the solution -- maintaining access holes or installing swift bricks during renovation -- makes swift conservation an area where individual actions have direct, measurable welfare impact. A single installed swift brick can support a breeding pair for decades.