Supporting Swifts at the Lorimer Fostering Office

At Lorimer, we are proud to play a small part in helping protect one of the UK’s most remarkable birds, the Common Swift (Apus apus). By installing swift nesting boxes, we are providing safe places for these birds to breed and helping to address the decline in swift populations across the country.

Why do Swifts need our help?

Swifts have experienced a significant decline in the UK. According to the RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), swift numbers have fallen by around 70% since the mid-1990s, and they are now listed as a Red List species of conservation concern. One of the main reasons for this decline is the loss of traditional nesting sites in older buildings as properties are renovated and modernised.

Swift boxes help by providing secure nesting spaces where birds can return year after year to raise their young.

What makes Swifts so special?

Swifts are extraordinary birds with some truly amazing abilities:

• They spend almost their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, sleeping and even mating while flying.
• They travel over 7,000 miles from sub-Saharan Africa to the UK each spring.
• Swifts can reach speeds of up to 69 mph (111 km/h), making them the world’s fastest bird in level flight.
• They often return to the same nesting site year after year, making the protection of nest locations especially important.
• Swifts can live for over 20 years, which is unusually long for a bird of their size.

How Lorimer is helping

Our swift boxes provide valuable nesting opportunities for these iconic summer visitors. By maintaining suitable nesting sites, we are:

• Supporting local wildlife and biodiversity.
• Helping to compensate for the loss of natural nesting spaces.
• Contributing to wider conservation efforts aimed at reversing swift population declines.
• Raising awareness among staff, visitors and the wider community about the importance of protecting native wildlife.

At Lorimer, we recognise that even small actions can make a big difference. Our swift boxes demonstrate our commitment to supporting local wildlife and helping ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy the sight and sound of swifts soaring through our summer skies.

Every nest box installed is another opportunity to help one of Britain’s most extraordinary birds thrive once again.