About Us

About The Devon Swift Project

This site is dedicated to providing information about what we can do to help swifts.

The main aim is to increase the population of swifts in Devon and beyond. This can be achieved across a range of activities. Often, when we see statistics on population declines in species, we feel that it's beyond our capability to help.

Helping swifts is as simple as putting up a swift box, or sowing wildflower seeds to help with flying invertebrates (swift food!). This can be scaled up; volunteer groups, scout groups, etc. can make a bunch of boxes to install. You can also speak to your local council to find out which patches of ground are available to be managed for wildflowers. It's amazing what can be achieved when we work together!

The objectives of the Project are :

• To install colony boxes in churches throughout Devon and beyond. This is a great way to provide nesting for this colony species within a structure which is protected from development. We have installed in a selection of churches in Devon and the project has been accepted by some wonderful people within the church community; so a big thanks to you all!

• To provide people and communities with the information, designs, and assistance with setting up their own installations or swift project. Many village and town communities across the UK have done this already. Imagine looking up to the skies in the summer to see swifts zooming around and thinking, I've helped that!

• To create awareness of the other factors which affect swift populations. Swifts feed only on flying invertebrates and modern land management practices has reduced these species by approximately 60% in the past 20 years in the UK; recognise that number?, yep, it's the same as the percentage of swift population decline. Changing our mindset on how we manage land and our gardens to incorporate habitat that encourages invertebrates will definitely help swifts