Hi all,
Please find some useful information on Swifts.Hope you enjoy the information as I hope this will spur your interest in protecting our Swifts when they come back next year 2015 as they are finding it difficult to find nesting sites due to the building boom, and disturbance of existing nesting areas.
Willie
Common
Swift (Apus Apus) Guidance
Habitat: Swift
nests are generally located high up on the roof space under the eaves of old
houses, historic and industrial buildings, where the swifts are able to drop
into the air from the nest entrance. The nest is constructed from material such as hay, paper, feathers and
seeds collected in flight, and then cemented together with their saliva. Once
swifts have identified and occupied a nest site, they will use it for the rest
of their lives, if it stays available.
Legislation: Swifts and their nests are fully protected
which makes it an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild birds.
It is also an offence to intentionally take, damage or destroy the eggs, young
or nest of a swift whilst it is being built or in use.
Identification: The swift is a medium-sized aerial bird
which is dark brown in colour with a whitish patch on their throat; although in
flight against the sky it can appear black. Swifts have long, scythe-like wings
and a short, forked tail. The feet are specially adapted to grasp onto vertical
surfaces, meaning that when the common swift roosts, it can occupy habitats
like chimneys and building eaves, which other birds cannot. Swifts are summer
visitors, breeding in Ireland between May and July, staying on average only 100
days, as they migrate back to South Africa for the winter.
Threats: The main threat
to Swifts is the considerable loss of suitable nesting sites.
Renovations
and building works:
Swifts
are extremely vulnerable as they are very site specific. Nest sites can be destroyed
via buildings being demolished, renovated, reroofed, or even being repaired.
The use of PVC or plastic fascia’s and soffits are not viable for swift nests
unless holes are cut to replicate the original nest sites before the PVC was
fitted.
Blocking
Access:
Blocking
access to a nest not only prevents swifts from returning to the nest the
following year but may trap swifts inside causing them to starve and possibly
die. The loss of a nest to a swift is detrimental as swifts are very site
faithful, therefore may spend another couple of summers trying to find a
suitable nest.
Don’t
Ø Disturb a nest
Ø Obstruct access to a nest
Ø Undertake work that could damage
Ø Nest
Ø
Do
Ø Stop work and advise your supervisor/manager
if you suspect swifts/swift nests in your area of work
Ø Inform relevant staff/contractors of the
presence of any nests that need to be accommodated
Ø Work with a specialist consultant on any
mitigation work
Swift Signs
Swifts tend to be
most active in good weather and can be seen in Ireland between May and the end
of July. Aside from sightings, evidence of their presence in an area can be
obtained by identification of their droppings. Generally below a swift nest
along the wall of a building, small white streaks (bird droppings) are often visible,
indicating the presence of swifts in the building.
Timing
Surveys:
Surveys
can be carried out during the summer, generally from the beginning of May to
the end of July. Ideal conditions to survey would be on a warm summer’s evening
after 8pm. In order to identify a nesting site, a large concentration of swifts
needs to be identified first. By following this colony, they should move into
their nesting site where ‘screaming’ and swooping occurs. This is used by
swifts as a defensive technique against other swifts and a way to bond with the
colony.
Mitigation:
Managing
habitats and structures appropriately is a key element to swift conservation.
Best practice is to leave nest sites undisturbed; however if rebuild or
renovation is necessary, leave existing holes or make sure new identical access
holes are made. When replacing or designing new buildings, the provision for
swifts should be made, for example the insertion of external nest bricks could
be incorporated or various built in or external nest boxes. Any of the useful
web links noted below can be used as great resources for this.
SOME
FACTS ABOUT SWIFTS
• They eat, drink, preen, sleep and mate while
flying
• Their scientific name is Apus apus, that
means ‘no foot no foot’
• Actually, they have small feet with sharp claws
which they only use at their nest site.
Swifts
have been around a long time; one of their ancestors, who died 49 million years
ago, was found in Germany.
They
fly about 500 miles (800kms) a day. During their lives, they fly about 2
million miles - equivalent to more than four trips to the Moon and back! They
eat flying insects like flies, mosquitoes, midges, and greenflies as well as
airborne spiders.
•
They come to Europe each summer arriving in this country at the end of April/
beginning of May
•
They make their way back to Africa in August
•
A round trip of 1400 miles!
•
They are one of the very best fliers
•
They have very rapid wing-beats: 8 wing-beats per second, followed by gliding
and zooming about at very high speed, usually screaming as they go
•
You will hear and see ‘screaming parties’ around the houses.
•
At night they sleep as high as 3,000 metres
•
They approach their nests at more than 40 miles per hour and come to a stop
without slowing down
•
They do not normally land on the ground because it is difficult for them to
take off.
FAMILY LIFE
•
Swifts usually stay with the same partners for their whole lives
•
They can live for at least 21 years!
•
Mostly, their nests are in spaces under roofs and nooks and crannies in old
buildings.
•
They catch bits of stuff from the air, like feathers, leaves, petals and pieces
of paper, then stick them together to make a cosy nest for laying their eggs
•
They lay white eggs, usually 2 or 3
•
Both partners take it in turns to sit on the eggs to keep them warm until they
hatch
•
The eggs hatch after about 18 days.
SWIFT CHICKS
•
When the chicks hatch, they are blind and have no feathers
•
Many times a day, the male and female bring the chicks balls of 300-500
insects, collected in a big pouch under the beak
•
The chicks open their eyes about 6 days after hatching
•
Their feathers grow and they get quite fat.
Chicks
have an area of white around their beaks so the parents can see them in the
dark nests.
•
The chicks stop eating and lose weight before they leave the nest - you can’t
fly if you are too fat!
•
They do push-ups on their wings and tails to make them strong enough for flying
• Once they can hold a push-up for 10 seconds and
they weigh about 45 grams, they are ready to fly away; they are 6-8 weeks old
when they leave.
If you find a grounded Swift
Most grounded Swifts are likely to be fledglings
that have fallen out of the nest before they are ready to fly, so they will
need fostering. Occasionally an adult will meet with an accident and plummet to
the ground, in which case it may need rehabilitating. If you find a grounded
Swift, the priority is to make it safe by carefully picking it up and putting
it in a box, then closing the lid to enable it to calm down. Swifts are difficult
to care for, as they need a special diet. Swifts are not for beginners, so your
next step should be to get in touch with someone who is a specialist in this
field. If you pick up an adult and consider that it is ready to fly, the
technique for releasing it safely is not to throw it into the air, but to hold
it in the palms of your hands, raise your hands high and the bird should go.
Make sure you are releasing it INTO the wind, and choose a place where, if it
should come to ground again, you can easily find it.
You will find comprehensive advice on the following
websites:
SOME USEFUL
WEBSITES
http//swiftconservationireland.blogspot.ie
http//actionsforswifts.blogspot.ie
www.swift-conservation.org
www.saveourswifts.co.uk
www.commonswift.org
www.concernforswifts.com
www.bwi.ie
www.iwt.ie
www.irishwildlifematters.ie
Useful
Web Links
Swift
Conservation, Bird Watch Ireland, www.swift-conservation.org, Northern Ireland
Swift Group, www.saveourswifts.co.uk, General Information, www.commonswift.org/common_swift.html
http://swift-conservation.org/SwiftFirstAid.htm
http://www.commonswift.org/Veterinary-Help-for-Common-Swifts.html
http://www.commonswift.org/Hand_rearing_Swifts.html
The DSPCA or your nearest wildlife hospital may be another source of help.
SO
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
•
Swifts nest in old buildings
•
Old buildings are being knocked down or repaired
•
New buildings have no nooks and crannies for Swifts
•
So when Swifts arrive back from Africa to raise a new family, they find their
nesting places have gone - they are homeless!
SO
HOW CAN WE ALL HELP SWIFTS
•
Leave
existing nest sites undisturbed
•
When repairing buildings, make sure new access holes match exactly the location
of the old ones
•
When providing new nest sites make internal nest spaces, as they last longer
•
If you can’t make internal spaces, put up nest boxes
•
Tell Swift Conservation Ireland where you see Swifts nesting.
Email: swiftconservationireland@gmail.com
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