RSPB provides update on its ongoing initiatives to encourage increased installation of swiftbricks in Britain

                                                             

On the move - Swifts at dusk in late summer 

THE RSPB has no current plans to fund the installation of swiftbricks in new housing developments.

Instead, it says it is "developing resources and tools" for individuals, volunteer conservation groups, the construction industry, local councils and planning authorities to install new nesting sites for the species.

"This approach allows the design and quantity of boxes to be tailored to local needs by the people best placed to decide this," says the society.

The RSPB says it works with several partners in the construction industry - most notably  Barratt Developments.

"This company has already fitted more than 4,500 swiftbricks into its new developments, and it has  plans to ramp up installations to exceed 7,000 by 2025."

The RSPB points out that it is also encouraging volunteer-based conservation groups focusing on Swift conservation in areas such as  Northern Ireland, the West Midlands and Manchester.

"These are intended to act as model examples that could be repeated elsewhere,"it says. "We also provide a free-to-use online conservation targeting tool - SwiftMapper - to help anyone interested in Swift conservation locate the most beneficial areas for action."

The charity has also launched a  swiftbrick video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8NuL5mEpjo

Sadly, the RSPB's attempt to encourage swifts to nest at its HQ - The Lodge in Sandy, Bedfordshire - have so far failed to reap dividends.

It says: "Swift boxes have been installed at The Lodge for several years, and we have used caller systems to attempt to attract them.

"We have succeeded in attracting small numbers of Swifts to investigate these boxes, but so far no nesting  has taken place.

"This may be due to a small local breeding population of Swifts and/or availability of other nesting opportunities for them in nearby towns and villages. 

"This demonstrates the value of our conservation targeting tool, SwiftMapper, which allows  conservationists to target the placement of new nesting sites as close as possible to known existing colonies and sites."

                                          

There are three swiftbricks fitted in this house on a Barratts estate near Grimsby in Lincolnshire