Lancaster City Council backs measures to halt decline of swifts

Developers will be encouraged to include ‘swift bricks’ and integral nest features in new builds.

The council will also look at installing nesting boxes on their buildings to boost the swift population.

Green Councillor Sue Tyldesley, who represents Warton ward, said: “This initiative seeks to boost local swift populations through installing nesting boxes on council buildings and by encouraging developers to include ‘swift bricks’ and integral nest features in new builds.

"I am pleased that Councillor Louis Belcher ( Labour) seconded my proposal and delighted that the motion was supported by a unanimous vote in full council last week.

“This shows the amount of support within the Council for trying to support this iconic bird.

“Alasdair McKee from the RSPB attended the council meeting to speak about swifts and to inform and enthuse us.

“The proposal that was agreed also includes a commitment to providing information on the City Council’s website and recording the numbers of planning permissions with swift bricks and boxes.

The agreement supports the work of Lancaster Swift City a community-led initiative, which includes the RSPB and local residents, to protect the species and also builds on work undertaken by the city council since 2021 to boost wild insect populations and improve biodiversity.

Swifts are incredible birds, and one of nature’s greatest long-distance athletes. Each year they undertake a crazy journey to get here, one of the longest migration journeys in the world.

Swifts fly around 22,000 km (or 14,000 miles) every year.

In recent years, fewer swifts have returned from Africa to breed, and the UK population has declined by more than 70% in the last 3 decades.

A major factor in this dramatic decrease is almost certainly due to the loss of insect prey and of traditional nesting sites in older buildings.

Swifts return to the same nest site each year and so when older buildings are renovated they can find themselves shut out of their homes, or even find that they have been demolished completely.

Without access to nooks and crannies in buildings, swifts have nowhere to raise their young.