Wildlife Welfare

Wild Swift Nesting Box Programmes

How nest box programmes are supporting swift populations as old buildings are renovated.

Key Facts

Swifts are highly site-faithful, returning to the same nest site for decades
Loss of access to old buildings through renovation is a primary cause of swift population decline
Swift bricks and nest boxes installed in new buildings and renovations provide replacement nest sites
Swift populations have declined by 60% in the UK since the 1990s - nest site loss is a key driver

Welfare Considerations

Swift nest site loss represents both welfare harm to individual birds - who may lose sites they have used for years - and a population-level crisis. Embedding swift bricks in all new construction and renovation is a low-cost, high-impact welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Install swift bricks or boxes on south- or east-facing walls when renovating or building
Advocate for swift-friendly building standards to be included in local planning policy
Support swift monitoring groups that track breeding populations