Mention of a swift half usually brings a chorus of assent, but news that swift numbers have dropped almost half has been recieved with groans of dismay.
Why should we care? Well, apart from the fact that these birds are absolutely bloody amazing, we should consider that they gobble up bugs flying and floating in the air, such as mosquitoes and spiders.They can eat some five hundred insects an hour when supporting young in the nest.
They're a crucial part of the natural world and if they nest in your roof, you should thank your lucky stars. I bet you didn't even know they were there for ages. They're pretty quiet on the nest, only screaming as they fly around, swooping, diving and dancing in the air. That's when you know swifts are around!
They're not related to swallows, nor house martins. Although they appear similar in shape and behaviour. Swifts are members of a small group of birds that are able to enter a state of torpor or semi-hibernation. It's an evolutionary trick that allows them to survive cold snaps if they get the timing of migration wrong.
Anyway, I've been drawn off the point by my enthusiasm for these small birds. The thing is, their populations' down 47% compared with ten years ago. Something's gone wrong. There are some impacts in Africa that we can address with International Partners, but back here in old blighty there's lots we can do to help.
First off, please spare a moment to tell us about your sightings of any swifts. Secondly, please don't fill in holes in your eaves, or if you do, please build-in a swift nest box. Thirdly, try managing your garden to support insects by planting nectar rich flowers and not cutting all your grass; allow some to grow and go to seed around the lawn edges. Fourthly, support the RSPB financially or by volunteering. Together we can do more for wildlife.