Tree nesting swifts
Paul Stevens
phizo...@gmail.com
Edward Mayer - Swift Conservation
Dick Newell
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Edward Mayer
Same with my friends in Denmark, their now substantial swift colony started in Starling nest boxes.
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B CAHALANE
Agree ,Agree,Agree.
Brian
------ Original Message ------
From: swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com
To: swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, February 28th 2026, 07:49
Subject: Re: [SLN] Re: Tree nesting swifts
Same with my friends in Denmark, their now substantial swift colony started in Starling nest boxes.
On 27-Feb-26 7:48 PM, Dick Newell wrote:
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Chris Mason
In the summer of 2016 I was told about a private garden in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire where Swifts were nesting in an Ash tree. I visited on 21st July and watched the Swifts taking food in to the young birds. The attached photo shows (I hope!) the nest hole in the large upwards facing branch off the main trunk. The Swifts had taken over the hole after a family of Starlings had fledged. We are not certain whether the young Swifts fledged successfully because the owners of the house went on holiday soon after my visit.
That autumn we spent a lot of time planning for the following summer –
- should we block off the hole until the swifts returned?
- could we create more similar nests nearby?
- what should we do about publicising such an unusual nest place?
In the end the discussion proved academic because the tree was badly damaged in a winter storm and the nest hole was lost.
The house owners now have 2 occupied nest boxes on their house, and doubtless the Swifts are safer from predation there than they would have been in the tree hole, and the story confirms that swifts might still opt for these ‘natural’ nest places.
Chris Mason
Cherwell Swifts
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Nick Bentham-Green
Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 9:55:19 PM
To: swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Re: [SLN] Re: Tree nesting swifts
T Davies
I suppose, there are similarities between tree roosts and swift towets.Has anybody tried putting some swift boxes into trees and then playing the call system?Could be fun!
Nick
SE Cornwall
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From: swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com <swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Chris Mason <chrism...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 9:55:19 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [SLN] Re: Tree nesting swifts
In the summer of 2016 I was told about a private garden in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire where Swifts were nesting in an Ash tree. I visited on 21st July and watched the Swifts taking food in to the young birds. The attached photo shows (I hope!) the nest hole in the large upwards facing branch off the main trunk. The Swifts had taken over the hole after a family of Starlings had fledged. We are not certain whether the young Swifts fledged successfully because the owners of the house went on holiday soon after my visit.
That autumn we spent a lot of time planning for the following summer –
- should we block off the hole until the swifts returned?
- could we create more similar nests nearby?
- what should we do about publicising such an unusual nest place?
In the end the discussion proved academic because the tree was badly damaged in a winter storm and the nest hole was lost.
The house owners now have 2 occupied nest boxes on their house, and doubtless the Swifts are safer from predation there than they would have been in the tree hole, and the story confirms that swifts might still opt for these ‘natural’ nest places.
Chris Mason
Cherwell Swifts
On Sat, 28 Feb 2026 at 08:36, 'B CAHALANE' via swiftslocalnetwork <swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Agree ,Agree,Agree.
Brian
------ Original Message ------
From: swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com
To: swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, February 28th 2026, 07:49
Subject: Re: [SLN] Re: Tree nesting swifts
Same with my friends in Denmark, their now substantial swift colony started in Starling nest boxes.
On 27-Feb-26 7:48 PM, Dick Newell wrote:
Here in Cambridge, while as far as I know we have no tree-nesting swifts, we have quite a few examples of Swifts breeding in Starling boxes which emulate old woodpecker holes. I have 1 such box on my house which is shared by Starlings early on before the Swifts move in.
I think we may be missing a trick by not putting up more Starling boxes high enough for Swfts. Making sure of course that the inside wall can be climbed by the Swifts.Dick
On Fri, 27 Feb 2026 at 19:02, 'Edward Mayer - Swift Conservation' via swiftslocalnetwork <swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Hi there, The Abernethy Tree nesting Swifts are the only ones I know of in the UK, and the RSPB sometimes has special tours to see them, but you have to book I think. Other tree nesting Swifts are to be found in Swedish Lapland, Eastern Germany, and the biggest numbers are nesting in old Woodpecker holes in vast old Hornbeam trees in the Bialowiesja Forest in NE Poland. Some 300 were recorded there a good few years ago. The area is all controlled access. You would I think have to set up a special tour to see them with the Park authorities and guides. Best wishes, Edward
On Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 12:32:14 PM UTC phizo...@gmail.com wrote:
I was at RSPB Loch Garten (in Abernethy Forest and where the clip of Iolo Williams spotting swifts around tree cavities was filmed) and asked about tree nesting swifts and was told they're there, but they keep the location under wraps. I'm not sure the access is such that you'd be able to wander around looking for them. The main point of the facilities that the RSPB has there is to view ospreys. Might be worth contacting them to ask whether it's possible to see the swifts. Abernethy appears to be the only place mentioned for tree nesting swifts if you search online, but I seem to recall mention of swifts nesting in the cliffs of a quarry in Northern Ireland if non-housebound swifts are what you're after.
On Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 9:14:08 PM UTC paulnat...@googlemail.com wrote:
Anyone know of locations for seeing tree nesting swifts in the UK? Abernethy forest, Scotland?
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Edward Mayer
I would guess that the most likely thing to happen would be that other bird species would get to the tree-mounted nest boxes first. Great Tits have taken over some of my Swift nest boxes placed in park lands with plentiful trees, like at The Lodge, and Sparrows took over my Swift boxes at London Zoo in leafy Regents Park, and there's always it seems a waiting list of hole nesting birds seeking homes!
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