Wildlife Welfare

Wild Swift Nesting Welfare

Common swifts nest in cavities in older buildings and face serious population declines as building renovation eliminates traditional nest sites. Swift boxes and building-integrated nest provisions can reverse this trend.

Key Facts

UK swift populations declined by 60% between 1995 and 2020
Swifts cannot land, eat, drink, or mate on the ground - they live almost entirely on the wing
Building renovation eliminating roof gaps is the primary cause of swift nest site loss
Swift bricks integrated into new buildings provide permanent replacement sites
Swifts are intensely site-faithful, returning to the same nest sites for decades

Welfare Considerations

Individual swifts returning to nest sites that have been eliminated during building renovation face a reproductive welfare crisis, spending the entire breeding season unable to nest. Supporting swift nesting through installation of swift boxes, advocacy for swift bricks in building regulations, and preventing unnecessary disturbance of occupied nest sites directly protects individual bird welfare and breeding success.

What You Can Do

Install swift boxes on suitable buildings at least 5m high
Advocate for swift bricks to be required in new building regulations
Check buildings for swift nests before renovation and ensure wildlife license compliance