Swifts have moved in to a West Cumbrian village hall, thanks to nesting boxes installed three years ago.
The boxes were installed at Yew Tree Hall in Lorton by Melbreak Wildlife Group, with the help of local farmers, as part of the group’s swift project.
The group said the uptake of the swift boxes, adding to the already used nest sites in the nooks and crannies of the old building, showed that the swift colony was successfully expanding.
The project was launched in 2020, funded by a donation from a local benefactor.
Swifts breed in Europe, staying for a brief three months before leaving, at the end of July, to overwinter in Africa – a round trip of about 12,000 miles.
Weighing only 36 to 50 grams, they are the fastest of all birds in level flight, reaching speeds of almost 70mph.
Swifts eat, sleep, drink, preen and mate in the air and apart from nesting, are constantly airborne. Swifts are social birds, preferring to live in colonies. They nest in gaps, under eaves and holes in walls and are faithful to nest sites.
Juveniles will search for nesting sites for two or three years, before landing to nest and breed.
The group said: “With many old buildings being knocked down or renovated and new buildings giving no opportunities for nesting, it is vitally important to preserve existing nest sites, provide swift bricks within the fabric of new buildings and provide swift nest boxes to save this precious and ancient species from extinction.
“In the UK alone, there has been a 66% loss between 1995 and 2022. The loss of nest sites and a decrease in the swift’s insect food, due to habitat loss and the use of pesticides, are the main causes of this shocking decline in numbers.”
The swift project has provided over 30 swift boxes across the Lorton Valley.
The group added that with the help and co-operation of Lorton Parish Council, developers and builders, the project has also installed several swift nest bricks into new local buildings, as well as placing a group of specially designed swift boxes in the belfry at the village’s St Cuthbert’s Church.
