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Do swift bricks become killer 'ovens' in hot weather?

Jim Wright
12/07/2023 15:28

Do swift bricks need to be re-designed to prevent  fledglings from being suffocated inside them during heatwaves?

MP Kerry McCarthy didn't say as much during this week's parliamentary debate on swifts, but she made the point that many chicks had been put in peril of suffocation during last year's hot spell.

The RSPB surely needs to provide some guidance on this.

See also:

https://thewryneck.blogspot.com/

  • 13/07/2023 09:36

    Thank you ItisaRobbo and tuwit.

    On the subject of swifts, it might be useful if there were to be an annually-updated register of swift nesting sites for

    a) Churches, chapels, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship

    b) Schools, universities and other places of education

    c) City halls, town halls, village halls and other community centres.

    With its huge membership, the RSPB could well conduct this research to complement its existing online Swiftmapper project.

  • 14/07/2023 00:15 in reply to Jim Wright
    The Netherlands has (non-EU related as far as I know - or perhaps it is classified as 'gold plating'?) legislation that protects known swift nesting sites year-round.

    For the benefit of building/development legislation, the UK can rely on assessments on whether nesting is currently in progress. Sometimes the assessments happen during nesting and are correctly identified. But development will continue outside the nesting season. Sometimes these assessments happen in autumn, winter, or early spring. Sometimes ecological assessments don't happen 'correctly'.

    I've tried to word this as uncontrovertially as possible. People can come to further conclusions.