Wildlife

Wild Swift Urban Nest Sites and Welfare

Common swifts are declining rapidly in the UK due to loss of nesting sites in buildings, requiring urgent action to create and retain nest opportunities.

Key Facts

UK swift populations have declined by 60% since 1995 due to building renovation
Swifts nest exclusively in buildings, using cavities under eaves and in walls
Swift boxes installed externally or internally provide nest sites where natural ones are lost
Swifts return to the same nest site every year for life, making site protection critical
Swifts spend almost their entire lives airborne except when nesting

Welfare Considerations

Swifts displaced from their traditional nest sites must find alternatives in an increasingly building-sealed urban landscape. Failure to find a nest site means breeding failure and energy wasted on site-searching. Pairs that cannot breed in their home colony experience the welfare cost of failed reproduction after a 5000km return migration. Swift box installation and legislation protecting existing nest sites directly benefits individual breeding pairs.

What You Can Do

Install swift nest boxes on the south or east-facing side of your home
Never block swift nest sites during renovation without providing replacement boxes
Support Swift Conservation and local swift groups working on nest site protection