Common swifts nest their young in Waltham Forest every summer but their numbers are declining due to a lack of nesting sites, writes David O’Driscoll
It’s now the sad part of the summer when the most amazing birds leave Waltham Forest to make the long journey back to Central Africa.
I feel that when they leave, they take the summer with them. The bird is, of course, the common swift.
They are only here for about twelve weeks, from May to early August. There are several nesting sites in Waltham Forest; you can see them on certain days flying over the Coppermill Treatment Centre, swooping and diving, gorging themselves on insects, a truly wonderful
sight. There are few birds that are so entertaining to watch.
As the Echo reports, the national population of swifts has plummeted by more than 66% between 1995 and 2022. There are several reasons, one of which is the corresponding decline in insects, their primary food source. They feed exclusively on aerial insects, which is why they live in the more tropical and subtropical regions of the world where insects are readily available during the rest of the year, but they come here to breed.
The other reason for their decline is the lack of nesting sites. This is something we can address. Their main nesting sites in Walthamstow
are specifically located on the Warner Estate, between Lloyd Park and Billet Road, as these buildings feature an open-eaves style of architecture that allows swifts to nest.
Swifts keep coming back to the same nesting sites every year, but the problem is that many of these nest sites have been destroyed, and an increasing number of homes are installing PVC boards, which prevent the swifts from accessing the eaves.
However, swift bricks are low-cost, last the lifetime of the building, have no maintenance requirements, and can be aesthetically integrated with the building. And with the climate crisis in mind, swift bricks are better at regulating building temperature than external boxes.
It would also help with other birds on the danger list, who can nest there when they are vacant. Many scientific and conservation experts and organisations such as the RSPB are behind this campaign.
They report that other countries in Europe that have implemented these bricks have stabilised the swift population. The Labour Party, when in opposition, claimed they would make swift bricks mandatory for all new buildings. So, like many swift lovers, I was optimistic when they got back into power.
However, the Labour government recently slapped down a proposed amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that would have made planning permission for building conditional on the provision of such bricks.
The government’s housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, told the House of Commons planning committee in May: “We are not convinced that legislating to mandate the use of specific wildlife features is the right approach, whether that is done through building regulations or a freestanding legal requirement.”
The government has the power to make this mandatory but they evidently sadly lack the moral impetus to support this wondrous bird. The great poet Ted Hughes wrote in a famous lament to swifts: “Look! They’re back! And they’re gone.” Unless we find a way to help them they will be gone forever.
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