Building for Birds

Out walking in East Dulwich last week Birder Dave pointed out these curious appendages on the front of a newly renovated house in Silvester Road:

These little wooden cavities are ‘Swift boxes’ and the work of an enterprising local, bird-friendly builder. Tucked discreetly under the eaves of the house they are designed to provide nesting spaces for Swifts, one of our most distinctive summer visitors and a bird whose numbers have declined in the last few decades.  

Though famed for spending most of their lives in the air, Swifts seek out ledges or cavities to nest in during the breeding season. This partly explains why they are most frequently seen in towns and villages where buildings can provide such places. But their decline (they are currently listed as having Amber Conservation status in the UK) has also been linked to a lack of suitable nest sites in these areas.

With modern architecture’s seemingly endless fascination with the use of glass panes and new-builds hardly focused on anything else other than building cheaply/filling quickly it is little wonder that birds may struggle to find accessible sites. I wonder how hard it would be to factor designs such as this into UK building law? Even if a small percentage of new buildings were to adopt this it could make a noticeable difference. If the spaces are not used by swifts there is a possibility they may attract other urban nesting birds such as House Sparrows or even bats.

Until then though it is fantastic that local people are making innovative decisions like this. These swift boxes are aesthetically sensitive, take nothing from the house and are at the very least an interesting conversation piece. What a superb idea, a simple but effective step up for nature.

Have you seen swifts in your area yet? Do you fancy adding a Swift box to your property or place of work? Check out Swift Conservation for latest news and tips on how to help these amazing aerial acrobats!