Why we need to care about Swifts
Swifts are extraordinary birds!
The sight and sound of Swifts are, for many, an uplifting reminder that Spring is here.
Older residents in Keswick describe how “the skies used to be black with Swifts”, when they were young. However, that is not the case anymore.
Swifts are now Red-Listed – recognised nationally as being at risk of extinction in the UK.
Their numbers are dropping rapidly.
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The UK lost 60% of its Swifts between 1995 and 2020.
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There were only an estimated 59,000 pairs left, visiting us in 2020.
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In Northwest England, it’s even worse – numbers down more than 80%, according to the BTO’s Breeding Birds Survey - that is, 8 out of 10 have been lost.
Why are numbers dropping?
A major factor in the drop in Swift numbers is the loss of suitable nest sites.
Swifts nest in buildings in many towns, villages and older houses across the Lake District and Cumbria. They build their nests in gaps under the eaves, and in holes in the walls. It is mainly older buildings that can offer these potential nest sites, and don’t nest anywhere else, apart from in buildings.
Modern building standards generally mean there are no gaps and holes in the external fabric of the building, so there’s nowhere for a Swift to get in, and build a nest. The renovation of older buildings closes up gaps and holes too.
Swifts return to the same nesting site each year and if their previous nest site has vanished become very distressed. They try again and again to get into where the hole used to be resulting in the bird becoming exhausted. They may even injure or kill themselves trying to get in.
A pair of Swifts that has lost their established nest site may not be able to find a replacement site in time to breed that year.
The decline in Swift numbers also seems to be linked to wetter summers – one of many consequences of climate change.
Keswick Swifts have joined the growing number of local groups encouraging people to put up Swift boxes and Swift bricks, to provide more nest sites for Swifts, to make up for the loss of their previous nest sites in older buildings.
Images clockwise from top left: Matt Collis, Robert Booth, Simon Stirrup, Robert Folder.
Swifts, Swallows and Martins
Swifts are easily confused with Swallows and Martins.
They look quite similar,
They all migrate to Africa,
They all return in Spring to breed...
But there are crucial differences.
Swifts are...
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The largest of the three species, with long curved scimitar-shaped wings and a forked tail.
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Sooty brown all over, apart from a greyish patch under their chin.
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The fastest of the three species.
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Often seen in groups, quite high up.
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Recognisable by their typical excited cries.
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Sometimes you’ll see a group of them flying together, at roof height, along a street: these are called screaming parties.
They’re not Swifts if...
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If they have a white tummy, they’re a Swallow or a House Martin.
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If they’re perching on a wire, or anywhere else, they’re a Swallow or a House Martin.
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If they’re making or using a cup-shaped nest of mud, inside a barn, or a porch, or attached under the eaves, or in the corner between two walls, they’re a Swallow or House Martin.
And if there’s lots of poo under the nest, it’s not a Swift nest!
Can you tell them apart?
Images left to right: Roger Wyatt, Tony Marsh, Tony Marsh.
Facts about Swifts
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Apart from when they are in their nests, Swifts spend their entire life on the wing!
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They arrive in Britain each summer, from Africa, between late April and August.
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In the first year they come back, they need to find a mate and select a nest site, and will return faithfully to that nest site, year after year, to raise a single brood of 1 – 3 chicks each year.
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Finding a nest site of their own is a major project for a pair of Swifts. Young adults devote a whole season to finding and establishing their future home, but don’t breed in that year.
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Swifts mate for life. The pair migrate separately but meet up the following season at the nest site they reserved the previous season, to mate and raise their first chicks.
Are there Swifts to be seen near you?
To find out if Swifts have been seen, or are known to nest, near you, consult the Swiftmapper website. The records on Swiftmapper are logged by people who have observed Swifts flying around, or entering or leaving a nest site, in a particular location. It doesn’t provide 100% coverage, so if there aren’t any records for your area, it doesn’t necessarily mean there are no birds there.
Lots more interesting information about Swifts can be found on the websites of the two leading bird charities in the UK, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).
Books about Swifts
Swifts and Us
Sarah Gibson
A fascinating story of discovery, exploring what is known about these mysterious birds and their ancient ancestry. But the Swifts are now in real danger: cracks, gaps and crevices in buildings, which for thousands of years have offered nesting space, are being closed off. In the past 20 years we have lost half of our Swifts. Thankfully, there are people in the UK and across Europe striving to ensure a future for Swifts. Their actions and stories are woven into the narrative, showing that everyone can do something to keep these superb birds screaming through our skies.
Swifts in a Tower
David Lock
First published in 1956, Swifts in a Tower still offers astonishing insights into swifts’ private lives along with thoughts about their life style and wider issues. Now more than sixty years later, Swifts have been studied even more thoroughly, with technology unimaginable in the 1950s. This continues to reveal even more of their secrets, so this edition, published in association with the RSPB for their Oxford Swift City project, includes a new chapter by Andrew Lock, bringing the story of this remarkable bird into the 21st Century.
One Midsummer's Day
Mark Cocker
Over the course of one day in midsummer, Mark Cocker devotes himself to his beloved black birds as they spiral overhead. Yet this is a book about so much more. Cocker explores the profound interconnections that underpin the whole biosphere. From the deep-sea thermal vents where life was born to the 15 million degree core of our Sun, he shows that life is a singular and glorious continuum. These birds without borders are a perfect symbol to express the unity of the living planet. But they also illuminate how no creature, least of all ourselves, can be said to be alive in isolation. We are all inextricably connected.
The Wind Rippers
Martin Garwood
A compendium of what several well-known nature writers have said about Swifts, over the centuries. It ranges from Gilbert White’s 1789 publication “The Natural History of Selborne” to David Lack’s 2018 edition of “Swifts in a Tower”. Beautifully illustrated with Martin Garwood’s photographs.
Available direct from the author.
Email tonswifts@btinternet.com
Price: £12.25, including UK postage etc.
Swift Bricks : An easy win for Builders, Birds and Biodiversity
Helen Lucy
A delightful booklet, hand-written and illustrated by Swift enthusiast Helen Lucy.
She aims this booklet at anyone contemplating installing Swift bricks into a new-build or renovation project, explaining in simple terms why Swifts need our help, and how people can install Swift bricks into their properties to provide potential nest sites.
Copies available from Keswick Swifts