Wildlife

Wild Common Swift Nesting Welfare

Common swifts are entirely dependent on existing nest sites in old buildings and face a housing crisis as renovations eliminate breeding cavities.

Key Facts

Swifts spend almost their entire lives in the air except when nesting
They return to the same nest site every year with remarkable fidelity
UK swift populations have declined by 60 percent since 1995 due to nest site loss
Swift bricks integrated into new buildings provide permanent replacement nest sites
Swifts cannot build new cavities and must find or return to existing sites each spring

Welfare Considerations

Swifts unable to find breeding sites after returning from Africa fail to breed, causing stress from unfulfilled reproductive drive. Population decline from nest site loss represents cumulative welfare harm across millions of individuals.

What You Can Do

Install swift nest boxes or bricks on suitable buildings to replace lost nest sites
Advocate for swift bricks in planning requirements for new buildings and renovations
Report swift nesting sites to your local swift conservation group for recording