Michael Krause of the Great Ouse Valley Trust explains why swifts are so special and how we can help them.

Imagine a bird which spends 10 months of the year in flight, eating, sleeping, even mating in the air. A bird the weight of a crème egg, that pairs for life, and travels more than 3,000 miles twice a year to winter in southern Africa.

At this time of year, we don’t need to imagine. We’ll see Swifts arriving - dark birds with scythe-shaped wings and short forked tail, racing through the air above us, often in small groups and feeding on insects - and we’ll hear the high-pitched screech as they pass by.

Watching Swifts high above us, or listening to them screaming just overhead at around 25 miles an hour, is a source of joy, not just on a country walk or nature reserve, but also from our gardens and as we walk around town.

Birds need food and nest sites. Insect numbers in Britain fell by 64 per cent between 2004 and 2022, according to a citizen science survey carried out by Buglife.

There is now less food for Swallows, House Martins and Swifts, and so their populations fall. But there are simple things we can do in our gardens. We can avoid using pesticides for a start, and bring native wildflowers into our lawns – they then look great, support so many insects and also need mowing less often.

Evolved over time to nest in cavities in cliffs or large trees, Swifts have adapted to nest in our buildings, so decisions we make have a direct impact. Swifts return to the same nest each year.

If, during a repair to a building, a Swift nest-hole becomes blocked, the birds can fail to rear any young in that and subsequent years.

Swift boxes are now being installed in new developments and we can add them to our houses as well, just below the roof. 

Swifts are with us for just three or four months each year. That’s their breeding season, and it is vital for the future of the species. 

INFO: www.greatousevalleytrust.org.uk