[swifts need our help!]

It's not too late for them to nest. I've had swifts lay at the end of June

[swifts need our help!]

two new love birds. My new swifts may be nest hopping to see what nest box they like. These may be the same two that were in number 8 nest box yesterday. Sorry no audio. The beak movement is screaming at screaming swifts passing by outside

Mark

[swifts need our help!]

chick gets fed

cant get the video to show so her's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Slo_QJuu60

[Traonach]

http://www.bto.org/sites/default/fil...6-17Swifts.pdf

As we begin to unravel the secrets of more of our birds with the use of various types
of tags, Graham Appleton reports on the fascinating results being revealed by tagged

individuals of one of our most enigmatic birds: the Swift.

[swifts need our help!]

some activity at the gable this afternoon
http://youtu.be/ph-MO4M0H2k

[swifts need our help!]

[swifts need our help!]

The final countdown has begun - sadly.

There are reports of 1000s of swifts heading south over bird observatories in England.

It's been a poor year for many - lack of swifts, eggs rejected, chicks dying, adults abandoning nests.

5 of 8 swift chicks have fledged from my boxes. One was found dead and two were grounded due to dirty primary feathers.

[whyulittle]

Such odd looking birds I always find!

[swifts need our help!]

gorgeous birds if you ever get the chance to have one in the hand.

How can a small bird fly so fast, fly from west Africa is 5.5 days ....

[baaba maal]

Hi

just back from two weeks near Bordeaux with a few questions/observations (some may be obvious but bear with me, I'm ignorant but curious!)
The ratio of swifts to swallows seems to be completely reversed between Ireland and southwestern France- to the point that I would see a single swallow every 2-3 days there, and in that time would see literally dozens of swifts. Is there a known reason for the geographical preference of each?
The above article on the migration within Africa was a fascinating insight btw. I also only read today that swifts are more closely related to hummingbirds than swallows- wow who'd a thunk?

Secondly, our swallows seem to feed at a relatively low altitude compared with swifts- do we know much about their diets other than it consists of "flying insects". Given the apparent altitude difference when feeding, are the two species avoiding direct competition (this based on an assumption that flying insects will also fly at different heights).

Finally, is Ireland the farthest extent of the swift's range or do some make it to Iceland- wiki doesn't show it but admits the map is out of date.

Thanks for any replies......

[swifts need our help!]

The ratio of swifts to swallows seems to be completely reversed between Ireland and southwestern France- to the point that I would see a single swallow every 2-3 days there, and in that time would see literally dozens of swifts. Is there a known reason for the geographical preference of each?
I'll ask some people in Europe and post the answer

do we know much about their diets
http://saveourswifts.co.uk/analysis.htm

Given the apparent altitude difference when feeding, are the two species avoiding direct competition
yes. Swifts eat smaller insects but I dont know how the diet of swallows and house martins differ. From what I've seen House martins mostly feed higher than swallows.

Finally, is Ireland the farthest extent of the swift's range or do some make it to Iceland
According to some maps I've seen swifts are absent from the far north east of Scotland and west edge of Ireland.

Does anyone live close to the west coast? Are swifts present in your town?

[baaba maal]

Ta muchly. The dietary analysis has to go down as some seriously dedicated research!

In terms of the feeding height I hadn't really considered the difference between swallows and martins- and just thinking about it further, I think sand martins feed at a relatively low altitude (in my experience), so, in general, it might be fair to say that all four birds have slightly different dietary niches?
With distribution, I just assumed that swifts were distributed over the whole island (although saying that, I have been to Belmullet and a number of the islands off it, a number of times and have never seen a swift there).
Anyhow, thanks for ongoing info- it's a really interesting and positive thread.

[Ulmus]

good article in last Saturday's Irish Times by Michael Viney on swift conservation. Galway Mayo Institute of Technology got grant-aid from Agenda 21 to fund swift nest boxes at the college. Wonder if individuals would get grants for putting up swift boxes? Them Schwegler boxes cost a few bob.

[four18]

Have not heard swifts over Dublin in 3 days, Must be all heading south !

[swifts need our help!]

Ulmus can you find the link?

Four 18 1000s have been recorded leaving the UK.

There were 19 above and around my house this evening