Swifts over roof tops at dusk photo credit Nick Upton
Swiftly boxed swifts
Kaye Brennan of Arnold has shared her inspirational experience of just one of her wild actions that she has pinned on our map. It just so happens it links beautifully into this year's Wild About Gardens theme of how to help swifts, swallows and martins too!
I learned about what incredible birds swifts are through Wild.NG, a community group who are working to bring nature back to our streets across the City. I was amazed to learn about their journey from Africa to the UK and how they spend their entire lives ‘on the wing’ pausing only to breed.
It’s so sad to see how their natural habitats have disappeared but when I heard they have adapted to use special bird boxes, I started to look around my neighbourhood for spaces where these could be installed.
I live on a corner, and when I saw some swift boxes for sale on a social media site, I checked with the seller about the suitability of my house, sending some photos of the area, and then we arranged a day for installation.
Installing a swift box
We have 3 now; they have been given a special paint job to help them blend into the wildlife mural that’s already on our house but so birds will still notice them.
I’m really excited to see if the swift boxes are used next year, although it might not be swifts that use them straight away! Ever since the boxes were installed it’s been extra wonderful to hear swifts screaming overhead, knowing that I have provided them with a safe place to rest and breed, if they need one.”
Get involved
For more information about swifts, swallows and martins, how to identify them as well as what we can do to help, check out the free Wild About Gardens booklet.
To log your wild actions locally, then go to our map to pin your specific actions for wildlife such as providing water for wildlife, or a home for wildlife, even talking to your MP or local councillors and speaking up for wildlife.