Swifts are migratory birds that usually arrive each year in early May and nest in building cavities in our towns and cities, returning to the same location to breed. Other than in their nests, they rarely land, resulting in their scientific name (derived from Greek) meaning “no foot, no foot.” They are incredibly agile in flight and catch insects in midair.
The parents feed up the young in summer and leave to return to their wintering grounds in Africa. The young birds may stay a bit longer, forming “screaming parties” as they fly around together checking out potential nesting sites. Like their parents, they then depart for Africa around early August time, sometimes travelling in groups with other birds.
Swift is on the Scottish Biodiversity List, which identifies species of most importance to biodiversity in Scotland, and the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List.
Photo: Ben Andrew for rspb-images.com
Illustration: Mike Langman for rspb-images.com
Action Needed
The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act includes a commitment to revise Buildings Regulations to make provisions for the installation of Swift Bricks in new buildings. This section of the Act needs to be brought into force. Swift Bricks, which are specially designed bricks with a nesting hole inside that cost about £30 each, could make a real difference to providing more nest sites for Swifts. The sooner they are included in new buildings as standard, the better.
We need to support and celebrate the efforts of local volunteers to build, install and monitor Swift nest boxes and support Swifts in their neighbourhoods. We also need to recognise professionals in the building trades who are installing Swift Bricks correctly and checking for Swift nesting in properties and along rooflines when they carry out renovations.
More research is needed into the drivers of Swift decline, and this needs to be funded. In the meantime, it is likely that creating and protecting insect-rich habitats in urban areas and farmland and reducing pesticide use would help Swifts secure plentiful food.
We also need to continue and accelerate our efforts to tackle climate change.
Threats
More research is needed on the full reasons for the sharp decline in Swifts, but there is evidence to suggest that the loss of nesting sites in old buildings as they get refurbished and redeveloped, along with a lack of nesting sites in new builds, has had a serious impact on Swift populations.
Some evidence also suggests that Swifts, like other migratory birds, are suffering from the effects of climate change; RSPB-led research found a correlation between increased rainfall in wet summers and smaller brood sizes, higher nest failure and lower first-year survival rates of Swift chicks.
Swifts eat flying insects, and it’s also possible that lack of food may be an issue as the abundance of insects has declined, though this needs to be researched further. Swifts in one study were flying 40 miles a day to collect food, and such a journey could well take some kind of toll on them.
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