Press Release: BirdWatch Ireland and Local Authority Heritage Officers Team up to Save Swifts
21st May 2019 - For Immediate Release
A new booklet to help communities save their breeding Swifts, a species of migratory bird, has been launched by BirdWatch Ireland and local authority Heritage Officers nationwide.
Swifts are an iconic summer visitor to Ireland, arriving in early May following a long migration from southern Africa. Slightly larger than a Swallow, they are a 'site faithful' bird, returning generation after generation to buildings in towns and villages throughout Ireland to nest and raise young. Like many of our wild species, however, Swifts are increasingly threatened through loss of nest sites and have suffered an alarming 40% population decline over the past decade. Problems arise when buildings are renovated or torn down,removing the Swifts' nest sites, and sometimes huge nesting colonies can be lost overnight.
The good news is that there are many practical steps that we can all take to make a difference, and the new guide 'Saving Swifts' produced by BirdWatch Ireland and local authority Heritage Officers is available to help. The guide, funded by the Department for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as part of an initiative to encourage projects under the National Biodiversity Action Plan, contains all the information required for individuals, local groups, schools, businesses and government departments to play a role in helping this amazing and threatened species. The information is presented in a colourful and user-friendly format and includes details on Swift ecology; reasons for declines; suggested conservation measures; nest box plans, case studies and much more.
Swifts nest in buildings where small gaps allow access to the roof space or cavities in masonry. Their chosen nest sites are often in older buildings which are sometimes dilapidated or in need of renovation. Awareness about the presence and requirements of Swifts is essential to ensuring that their nest sites are protected as part of renovation works. This typically involves timing works to take place between September and May. Also, there are many opportunities to create new nesting sites as part of new development by installing nest boxes or specially-designed nesting bricks.
Ricky Whelan, Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland, said, "The Saving Swifts guide will go a long way to support groups from around the country to help their Swifts at a local level, feeding into the wider Swift conservation effort nationally. Swift surveys are planned in Sligo, Wicklow and Meath this year, following on from surveys in Offaly, Laois, Tipperary and Westmeath over the past few years, so we are getting a much better handle on the scientific side of where Swifts are, and what they need."
Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council, said, "It was wonderful to work with BirdWatch Ireland and Heritage Officers across the country on this guide to help communities look after their Swifts, and we are also grateful to the many Swift conservation groups around Ireland who helped with expertise and success stories for the book."
The Saving Swifts guide will be available for free as a PDF download from the BirdWatch Ireland and local authority websites or by emailing swifts@birdwatchireland.ie. Hard copies can be ordered from Local Authority Heritage Officers.
ENDS
INFORMATION FOR EDITORS:
Photos for use in connection with this story, supplied by Alf Harvey with digital captions, are available for download via WeTransfer at https://we.tl/t-3ehHY3cPkk
For more information please contact:
Ricky Whelan, BirdWatch Ireland, 085-7832545, rwhelan@birdwatchireland.ie
or
Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer, Phone 087-9470778, ccasey@laoiscoco.ie
BirdWatch Ireland is Ireland’s largest nature conservation organisation, with 15,000 members and 27 branches nationwide. Its work is science-based and focused on the protection of birds, their habitats and other biodiversity. More information on our organisation can be found at: www.birdwatchireland.ie
Local Authority Heritage Officers work within most local authorities across Ireland. With the support of the Heritage Council, Heritage Officers play a key role in promoting heritage awareness, developing policy and providing advice and information on local as well as national heritage issues.
For a list of local authority Heritage Officers, see www.heritagecouncil.ie/our-work-withothers/county-heritage-officers
