Swifts are a beautiful and enigmatic native bird species, but their numbers are on the decline. Caroline Spinks, co-ordinator of the Norwich Swift Network is determined to do something about it, and she got in touch with us to see if we could help them install some swift boxes. We were only too happy to offer some assistance.
Swifts are amazing creatures. Once the newly-fledged swifts leave the nest, they spend their whole lives in the air, and will only touch down again to lay their own eggs and feed their chicks. They eat, sleep, preen and mate at around 30 mph in mid air! If they want to impress a mate they can turbocharge to speeds of 70mph!
Unfortunately, swift numbers have more than halved in the last 25 years and much of this decline is due to loss of nesting sites under roof tiles. This can be easily remedied by putting up nest boxes high on a wall at least 5m up. Sounds like a job for someone who is experienced at working at heights!
We put up our first few boxes in Eaton this week, and one on the side of the Beehive Pub on Leopold Road.
Find out more about swifts on the Norwich Swift Network Facebook page.
