European Swift (T. Lindroos)
European Swifts (J. Sanz)
Two European Swifts in nest (E. Kaiser)
European Swift in hand (E. Kaiser)
Urban Conservation
Swifts - a vanishing urban species
I love Swifts. I first noticed them screaming above our house when I was five. They were tearing through the sky, screaming, dancing, twisting like little rockets. There was nothing else like them for lifting the spirits.
Swifts in the UK nest in buildings; a handful still nest in cliffs and holes in old trees, but with the loss of the ancient forests Swifts moved into our eaves. They come to London at the beginning of May from South Africa and are absolutely loyal to both their mates and their nest sites. If they lose either, they probably don’t breed.
I've lived in North London for well over 30 years, and there's a lively local group of Swifts here that brighten up the summer days with their spectacular flights and calls. I couldn't work out why their numbers were falling until I recognised the connection with the massive amount of re-roofing going on locally.
I wrote to the local paper about it and rather to my surprise, got results - an interview and a half-page spread all about Swifts and the problems they face. In a nutshell, ever since the 1940's buildings have been built or renovated in such a way that they are sealed up against ingress by birds. This is the law, enshrined in the Building Regulations, but it has brought about a tragedy that is wiping out Swifts. If matters continue like this, at some point there will be no nest places left anywhere for Swifts.
In fact, the British Trust for Ornithology's surveys show that Swifts declined in South East England by 53% over the past 12 years. It fits in with what we know is happening to the built environment. It's a massive fall and yet, oddly, it hasn't got much attention. We fret far more about other species that have declined less.
After my encouraging experience with the local paper I decided to do something for Swifts. An inspirational dinner of steak and kidney pie and lashings of red wine with the late Chris Mead (Swift Man at the BTO) set me on the path to creating an advice service devoted to reversing the decline in Swifts.
It's at www.londons-swifts.org.uk. We show how to maintain Swift nest places in existing buildings that need to be re-roofed, and also show how new buildings can have places for Swifts created in them. We give advice by e-mail, on the phone, in person and on-site, and we give talks too. We also manage nest box projects at sites in and around London.
See if you can do your bit to save London's Swifts. There are others in the UK and Europe who are trying to help Swifts, so you won't be on your own.
Having a new roof fitted? Do it when the Swifts aren't here, (September to early April); make sure their nest areas and entrances aren't blocked. Or put up a nestbox, you can buy them via our "Shopping" page or you can make your own from our designs.
If you are really keen, get in touch with your local authority's biodiversity officer and ask for Swift nest places to be a Planning Requirement in all suitable new buildings going up in your borough; we can provide the advice they'll need.
Please help Swifts!
Edward Mayer
If you wish to get involved in a national survey of the European Swift then link up with The UK-Swifts Project http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/uk-swifts/