Saving Swifts: North East Push to Boost Nesting Sites for “At-Risk” Birds
Written by Meena Green on 25th March 2025
North East house builders and bird charities are on a mission to save the swifts.
Swifts rarely stop flying—they’re almost always in the sky, even when asleep. They only land to nest. Traditionally, they’ve nested in small holes in buildings, especially older ones, which had ventilation gaps ideal for swifts. But modern homes are built differently and no longer require these holes. As we renovate or demolish older buildings, we’re unintentionally removing crucial nesting spots for swifts.
Swifts are now on the UK’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern, and the decline in suitable nesting locations is believed to be a major factor. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is working to raise awareness about this remarkable species and its need for nesting sites.
Becky Ingham from Action for Swifts said: “Over the last 25 years, the population of swifts breeding in the UK has declined by 74%.”
To help address this, house builder Barratt Developments and Manthorpe Building Products have designed a special ‘swift brick’. These bricks can be installed during construction to offer new nesting options—and several versions are now available for homes being built.
CREDIT: Action For Swifts
RSPB said: “The subject of swift bricks and whether they should be made mandatory for new build homes was debated in Parliament in September 2023, following a successful campaign by author and conservationist, Hannah Bourne-Taylor but sadly, on this occasion, no action to introduce national legislation was taken.”
Barratt Homes has been building homes around the North East with Swift Bricks. These bricks have holes built in so they’re stable enough to be a part of the home’s building structure and just what the Swifts need for their nests. The bricks are made of galvanised steel, which will last the lifetime of the building, with a stone or brick facing to match the rest of the house so it blends into the building, and the inside has a plywood flooring.
Derek Harris from Barrett plc said: “We’ve installed around 7,500 bricks to date.”
RSPB stated: “It is still considered to be a matter for local planning authorities to decide. To date, only a small number of local councils have introduced any measures concerning swift bricks.”
RSPB have stalls around the North East, with one in the Sunderland library, to bring awareness to the cause.
