Save Our Suffolk Swifts - 2025 nest box uptake

Swifts (SOS)

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Feb 28, 2026, 12:30:06 PM (7 days ago) Feb 28

to swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com

Good afternoon all

SOSSwifts have collated the 2025 nest box data for Suffolk.

In 2025 136 Suffolk locations reported Swifts using nest boxes, this is up from 85 locations with nest box usage in 2024. The vast majority of these locations have multiple nest boxes.

In 2025 there were 504 boxes reported used from the 136 locations, up from 379 boxes used around the county in 2024.

Below are two graphics showing the uptake over time.

We are now targeting the 136 locations with additional donated nest boxes. We are also donating boxes for locations at or adjacent to reported natural nest sites.

Very best wishes

Eddie

SuffolkBirdGroup.org

Suffolk Bird Group (SBG) is committed to protecting your privacy as a member. If you share your contact details we will keep them on a secure spreadsheet to enable us to fulfil our responsibilities to provide you with the benefits of membership. We value your support and will not pass on information about you to anyone outside SBG. If you would prefer not to receive future information from SBG please inform us by emailing communications@suffolkbirdgroup.org

Graham Knight

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Feb 28, 2026, 2:46:52 PM (7 days ago) Feb 28

to swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com, Graham Knight

Hi Eddie

This is fantastic news and you have demonstrated the importance of a particularly difficult issue - monitoring boxes once they are installed. Numbers like this are a real goal for us in Hertfordshire and I am sure elsewhere

This really shows the value of putting up large numbers of boxes in the right places, and it must be having a really positive impact on the Suffolk population. Can I ask if any of these are Swift bricks?

Many congratulations and as you frequently say - Swift Conservation Works!

Best wishes

Graham Knight

Suffolk Bird Group (SBG) is committed to protecting your privacy as a member. If you share your contact details we will keep them on a secure spreadsheet to enable us to fulfil our responsibilities to provide you with the benefits of membership. We value your support and will not pass on information about you to anyone outside SBG. If you would prefer not to receive future information from SBG please inform us by emailing communi...@suffolkbirdgroup.org

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Swifts (SOS)

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Feb 28, 2026, 3:39:40 PM (7 days ago) Feb 28

to swiftslocalnetwork, Graham Knight

Hi Graham

Some of the uptick is from the increased use of your call/response survey method, some folk here have had great success using it.

I’ve not received a single record of any bird species using a nest brick here in Suffolk. I have seen House Sparrows use nest bricks in both Norfolk and Essex though so only time here I think. We do leaflet new build properties with nest bricks as they are noted but we’ve never had any responses from any residents at all so far.

It will be interesting to see how our Swift nest numbers build over the next two years leading up to the BTO bird atlas surveys starting in November 2027 which end in autumn 2031, whether their methodologies pick up on an overall increase in our Swift population since 2011.

Very best wishes

Eddie Bathgate

@SoSSwifts

SuffolkBirdGroup.org/sos-swifts

On 28 Feb 2026, at 19:46, Graham Knight <gpk...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Eddie

This is fantastic news and you have demonstrated the importance of a particularly difficult issue - monitoring boxes once they are installed. Numbers like this are a real goal for us in Hertfordshire and I am sure elsewhere

This really shows the value of putting up large numbers of boxes in the right places, and it must be having a really positive impact on the Suffolk population. Can I ask if any of these are Swift bricks?

Many congratulations and as you frequently say - Swift Conservation Works!

Best wishes

Graham Knight

On Sat, 28 Feb 2026 at 17:30, Swifts (SOS) <swi...@suffolkbirdgroup.org> wrote:

Good afternoon all

SOSSwifts have collated the 2025 nest box data for Suffolk.

In 2025 136 Suffolk locations reported Swifts using nest boxes, this is up from 85 locations with nest box usage in 2024. The vast majority of these locations have multiple nest boxes.

In 2025 there were 504 boxes reported used from the 136 locations, up from 379 boxes used around the county in 2024.

Below are two graphics showing the uptake over time.

We are now targeting the 136 locations with additional donated nest boxes. We are also donating boxes for locations at or adjacent to reported natural nest sites.

Very best wishes
Eddie
SuffolkBirdGroup.org

<image0.png><image1.png>

Suffolk Bird Group (SBG) is committed to protecting your privacy as a member. If you share your contact details we will keep them on a secure spreadsheet to enable us to fulfil our responsibilities to provide you with the benefits of membership. We value your support and will not pass on information about you to anyone outside SBG. If you would prefer not to receive future information from SBG please inform us by emailing communi...@suffolkbirdgroup.org

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Dick Newell

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Mar 1, 2026, 2:40:27 AM (6 days ago) Mar 1

to Swifts Local Network

Impressive Eddie!

Are these mostly of one design. Does an analysis of occupancy rate by type of box yield anything useful? I guess probably not, too many confounding factors.

Dick

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Swifts (SOS)

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Mar 1, 2026, 7:20:43 AM (6 days ago) Mar 1

to swiftslocalnetwork

Morning Dick, yes multiple factors in play

Occupancy rates here are positively influenced by time since installation, the playing of calls and being close to existing nest sites.

The rate is negatively influenced by the number of nest boxes fitted, failure to play calls and by us adding additional nesting space.

Felixstowe Library’s occupation rate skipped from zero to 17% to 8% to 17% and down to 11% as the first of the original 6 boxes were used, then 2 of 6, 2 of 12 now 2 of 18 nest boxes.

St John’s Church in Bury St Edmunds' occupancy rate has tended to 100% each time after adding nest space, 58 and 60 boxes used there. It has a 10 year head start on Felixstowe. Fantastic ‘go big or go home’ examples of Swift conservation, never do anything by half.

We have had locations showing declines. Grey Squirrels getting in and Kestrels targeting returning adults have been thought to be the reasons.

We always advocate multiple nest boxes and our Community Sets for suitable prominent elevations of public buildings are a minimum of 3, mostly of 6 but can be more depending on location and funding. The last ones distributed had 10 boxes on a school and 14 on a church. Initial occupancy will therefore be very low.

I don’t think nest box design matters as long as the type is fit for a suitable elevation; height and flightpath.

Around 25% of nest boxes used here are in church belfries, great successes helped by the fact that many of these projects were installed 10-15 years ago. SOSSwifts are now able to fund the materials and call systems required for projects going forward.

SOSSwifts generally use the white lidded model 30 design as they are suitable for any aspect, we have a volunteer making these with us funding the materials. Around 65% of our occupancy is of this type of nest box.

The Framlingham Swift group primarily used the Peak Boxes bottom entry gable design around 2020 which have been very effective, they now have multiple locations reporting occupancy. All the bottom entry boxes reported used by Swifts in Suffolk are from here. Out of interest we do have a bottom entry nest box being used by Starlings in Wickham Mkt.

We also have supplied flat lidded rectangular nest boxes for fitting tight up under soffits or between the open rafter feet of churches for instance, probably 5% of boxes used here are of this style.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust are our partner in SOSSwifts and we could not have achieved a fraction of what we have done without their backing. Their help with contacts with wildlife groups, publicity skills and financial help with the claiming GiftAid and tapping into funding sources is colossal.

I hope this helps

Eddie Bathgate

@SoSSwifts

SuffolkBirdGroup.org/sos-swifts

On 1 Mar 2026, at 07:40, Dick Newell <dick....@gmail.com> wrote:

Impressive Eddie!
Are these mostly of one design. Does an analysis of occupancy rate by type of box yield anything useful? I guess probably not, too many confounding factors.
Dick

On Sat, 28 Feb 2026, 17:30 Swifts (SOS), <swi...@suffolkbirdgroup.org> wrote:

Good afternoon all

SOSSwifts have collated the 2025 nest box data for Suffolk.

In 2025 136 Suffolk locations reported Swifts using nest boxes, this is up from 85 locations with nest box usage in 2024. The vast majority of these locations have multiple nest boxes.

In 2025 there were 504 boxes reported used from the 136 locations, up from 379 boxes used around the county in 2024.

Below are two graphics showing the uptake over time.

We are now targeting the 136 locations with additional donated nest boxes. We are also donating boxes for locations at or adjacent to reported natural nest sites.

Very best wishes
Eddie
SuffolkBirdGroup.org

<image0.png><image1.png>

Suffolk Bird Group (SBG) is committed to protecting your privacy as a member. If you share your contact details we will keep them on a secure spreadsheet to enable us to fulfil our responsibilities to provide you with the benefits of membership. We value your support and will not pass on information about you to anyone outside SBG. If you would prefer not to receive future information from SBG please inform us by emailing communi...@suffolkbirdgroup.org

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<image1.png><image0.png><image0.png><image1.png>

Suffolk Bird Group (SBG) is committed to protecting your privacy as a member. If you share your contact details we will keep them on a secure spreadsheet to enable us to fulfil our responsibilities to provide you with the benefits of membership. We value your support and will not pass on information about you to anyone outside SBG. If you would prefer not to receive future information from SBG please inform us by emailing communications@suffolkbirdgroup.org