A new project to help reverse the dramatic decline of swifts has been launched across the Lancaster and Morecambe District.
Fifteen handmade nest boxes, crafted by the Lancaster Men’s Hub, and assembled by volunteers in the community have been installed at Morecambe Town Hall and on the rear of CityLab in Lancaster.
They are accompanied by 'swift callers' - devices that broadcast the birds’ distinctive cries in a bid to draw them in.
The initiative, delivered in partnership with Lancaster Swift City and the RSPB Lancaster Local Group, aims to bring more of the endangered birds back to the district’s skies each spring.
In recent years, fewer swifts have returned from Africa to breed, a decline driven by the loss of insect prey and modern building designs that leave fewer nesting spaces under eaves or roof tiles.
Their numbers have declined by more than 70 per cent in the last few decades.
Workshops have been held to make the next boxes. Photo: Emma Bartlet, RPSB Lancaster
Lancaster was recognised as a 'Swift City' in 2024 - a community-led initiative supported by Lancaster Swift City and the RSPB and local residents to protect the species.
This latest project seeks to build on that work by boosting local populations through nesting boxes on council buildings and also by encouraging developers to include 'swift bricks' and integral nest features in new builds.
This project 'Taking Flight' was funded by Closing Loops, Pots of Possibilities. All the wood used in the boxes' construction was from scrap wood.
Residents are also being urged to play their part by recording known nesting sites with the Lancashire Environmental Records Centre.
“This is a small but significant intervention for an amazing species under growing pressure," said Councillor Paul Hart, Lancaster City Council’s member with responsibility for nature conservation.
"It is always a joy to see swifts flying high over our city, towns and villages.
“Sadly, modern challenges mean they need all the help we can offer. Through a combination of small local interventions and wider environmental change, we hope the skies over our district will continue to echo with the sound of these aerial specialists.
“We will be looking for further opportunities to install swift boxes on council-owned buildings and hope this project makes a positive difference. We would also encourage residents to record nesting sites and, where possible, plant wildlife-friendly pollinators to help sustain the insects on which swifts depend.”
The project builds on work by the city council since 2021 to boost wild insect populations and improve biodiversity through its Grassland Management Strategy. This includes leaving areas of parkland to grow long and creating more wildflower-rich grassland.
"It’s been incredible how much local people here in Lancaster really care about these tiny birds and want to help them," said Emma Bartlet, of RSPB Lancaster.
“Building these boxes has really brought people together and it shows how much people really want to see action taken to stop the decline of species such as the Swifts."
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