Swifts need our help

Your website could do with clear photos/diagrams of swifts and details on how to distinguish them. It would be best to have this at the top of the mainpage. I'm not familiar with swifts but if the info is easy to locate then it draws more people in.

Only just came across this thread.

Swift numbers and breeding success are holding fine in the North East with steady figures over the past 30 years. An odd seasonal variation around weather conditions but breeding in not at risk here.

I would voice some caution about using a "tape lure". These can cause birds to expend energy following the lure or defending an area when there is absolutely no need for them to do so. I would go so far as to say our advice is never to use tapes to attract breeding birds. If the area is suitable and birds are in the area they will nest there. They do no need calls to attract them. Caring for birds and assisting in their breeding is more than just sticking up a box and playing a CD. The environment needs to be suitable.

SNOH. No offence intended but my source is our records over the past 40 years (33 of them involving myself) and that of the Countryside Bird Survey, Birdwatch Ireland and the NPWS.
The North East I refer to is in the Republic and I make no reference to RSPB, Scotland, or SE England. I speak for what the situation is right here. I'm sure in the past 40 years or so building in SE England has had an impact. I don't dispute that.
Of course their breeding status in the Republic of Ireland as a whole is classed as Amber-listed. But in this particular region they are doing fine - which was what I said. The European population is currently evaluated as Secure.
Loss of breeding sites is a problem but a lack of insect food is proving more serious to the sucessful fledging of young each year, as a reslut of changing farming practice et al.
As for the lure - Swifts, if in the area, (which begs the need for the call in the first place) WILL still react to the lure call. I've seen them in action many times. All I'm trying to get at is that providing a nest site in an area that can support Swifts will result in nesting if Swifts are anywhere near. A distracting lure call in not needed. That's all. I applaude the provision of nest sites (I do it every year across a large region) and I'd ask anybody who can to provide them - as I would the provision of any nest boxes or platforms for any birds, Bats, Bees, or small mammals. But the lure call is not really needed.

I would also caution against comparing the UK situation to the Irish one. Indeed the BTO state that the situation regarding Swifts is a 30%+ reduction in Scotalnd, 22% in England & Wales but that the position in Northern Ireland is unclear( to use their words.)

We're on the same side here.:)