Swift Colony on new build houses

[SavetheSwiftsLittleover]

Hi everyone,

Another question I have if anyone can share their knowledge with me please?

 I wonder if anyone could explain how a new colony forms when there was no nesting site on this street 14 years ago.  The reason I ask this is that there is colony of swifts with  6 active nests on a row of newer houses, built around 14 -16 years ago.  4 at the front 2 at the back of the houses.

Previous to this,  it was care home type supported accommodation.

I have only really noticed these Swifts in the last few years because they are very close to where I live, and yes I probably could of started taking action sooner but I have started now.

How do they manage  to find a new place with no help or caller? It might be really obvious to someone but I don't know, I'm still learning and figuring things out and it would massively help if I was to think about trying to make a new street for swifts to form a new colony in a different part of Littleover.

My understanding is that it is generally easier to help expand the colonies in the locations where there are known nests.

Lauren 

Save the Swifts Littleover 

savetheswif...@gmail.com

[Mike Priaulx]

Hi Lauren,

Our Common Swift is a pioneering species given time, as you can see from its distribution map:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_swift

When we want them to find a box within a few years they can seem slow but over the centuries they've moved from nesting in old tree holes to varying types of buildings including some modern concrete ones, all without calls played, so they can definitely adapt.

It's very unusual to have nests in buildings aged 14-16 years old, so unless there were boxes it must be a design "flaw" they've benefited from.

All the best,

Mike

Islington & Hackney Swifts Groups

+++

SavetheSwiftsLittleover <savetheswif...@gmail.com>: Jun 26 10:08AM +0100

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