(not so) Common Swift in serious decline

apus apus

It's up to everyone, across Europe, who is interested in birds to help stop the decline of this fascinating bird. All you need to do is create a small colony on your house. You really need to have a two storey house but a bungalow gable is high enough especially if there is a free access in and out. Unfortunately due to the recession the best boxes made by Schwegler are too expensive. The cheapest boxes are those you make yourself or ask someone else to make. They will last longer if you use marine plywood. A marine ply box will cost £10 to £15. If you have a local wood yard they will cut the wood to size for you. You should have at least three nests available

An ideal size is about 40cm x 16.6cm x 16.5cm 16x7x7 inches.

Ask your wood yard to cut you the follow
top and base 40x16.5cm
back 40x16.5cm
front 40x16.5cm
sides 14x17cm

The wood yard can cut the sizes larger to allow you to make a three or four chambered nest box either in a line or two above the other

This means the top and base stick out 1.5cm - the thickness of the wood. The front then sits very tight between the top and base and can be held in place with screws or hooks and eyes.

The front entrance for the birds needs to be no more than 33x65cm. The sides of the hole can be rounded to straight. Position it about 3cm up from the base and about the same from the side

If you want to add a camera drill a small hole to take the cable out

You then need a Cd to draw your swifts in unless you are as lucky as Phil.
Here are some home made boxes
http://forum.biggonline.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5889

apus apus

here are videos from my colony
http://www.youtube.com/results?feature=moby&search_query=sandersii&search_type=&aq=f

Judgement Day

Very interesting videos. I had seen House Martin nestboxes before but never for Swifts! There are still plenty of old houses around DG also churches and plenty of Swifts in residence in their traditional nesting sites but the nestboxes are a great idea for modern housing stock which are usually too well sealed up to allow Swifts find a home, or for that matter, my pet favourite the House Sparrow. Funnily enough, since I first posted here about House Sparrows being in decline I have seen a lot more of them so hopefully your post will have the same affect on Swifts.

Birdnuts

I've noticed a big decline too in House Martins in recent years - especially since the 80's in North Kildare at least.

PS - Funnily enough I've noticed more swifts around the place this summer then in the last few years:)