Swifts return in time for every week of consciousness and celebration!
Simply in time for UK Swift Consciousness Week 2026 (begins twenty seventh June), Swifts have returned in numbers to their colonies, and began their superb screaming events once more following the chilly moist spell, a lot to the enjoyment of the various Swift watchers all through the UK.
Greater than 150 native Swift teams from Aberdeen to Devon are working to assist this charismatic hen whose numbers have dropped by over 60% within the final 25 years. This decline has been brought about nearly totally by human actions, specifically by blocking up the birds’ nest entrances when renovation work like re-roofing, including plastic soffits and exterior wall insulation takes place.
110 native awareness-raising occasions will run between 27 June and 5 July to spotlight this lovely hen, which nests inside our roofs and provides such pleasure to many, even within the centre of our historical cities and cities. Edward Mayer has labored for Swifts within the UK and Europe for the previous 24 years. He stated:
“Swifts are probably the most spectacular, dramatic and thrilling hen that we will see proper above our houses and gardens, they usually nest alongside us in our eaves and gables, so it’s not stunning that so many individuals love and need to assist them of their time of want. Spending 9 months of the yr in fixed flight on migration after which in deepest Africa, our Swifts return to nest right here in Could, however fly South once more by the tip of August.
They completely love this sizzling climate, because it makes catching their flying insect meals really easy. Whether it is chilly and moist whereas chicks are within the nest and meals will not be obtainable, they present their dinosaur ancestry by slowing down and going into torpor. This permits them to tick over till the father or mother birds can feed them by bringing in a “meals ball”, a compressed ball of a whole bunch of tiny bugs which they’ve caught on the wing.“
Nick Brown, UK SAW Founder and Coordinator, added:
“Swift Consciousness Week Occasions are largely light night walks to assist native communities watch these super-fast and agile birds sprint low over our roofs. As well as there are talks, shows and a few occasions particularly for youngsters.
Happening from the South coast to the North of Scotland, the 110 occasions are listed on the Motion for Swifts weblog right here: Motion for Swifts: SAW occasions 2026 with a hyperlink exhibiting the place they’re positioned.
The week is supported by the RSPB which kindly promotes the week’s occasions for us“.
Sadly there have been a number of circumstances this spring the place energetic Swift nests have been blocked and even destroyed by upkeep or renovation works on older properties. On a railway viaduct in Derbyshire, Community Rail blocked three nest entrances and solely after a tough fought marketing campaign by native Swift lovers did they open them up once more and conform to including some new nest containers.
Along with the lack of nest websites on outdated buildings, new ones haven’t any provision for birds like Swifts and Home Sparrows to nest until inner ‘Swift bricks’ are put in on the time the partitions are being constructed. That is easy and really low cost however nonetheless only a few builders agree to take action.
Nick added: “This makes Swift Consciousness Week all of the extra necessary“.
ENDS
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