Ballyclare Town Hall to host event on how to help make town a 'home for swifts'

Antrim RSPB Local Group are leading the initiative, which aims to provide additional nest sites for the bird.

The swift was given ‘Bird of the Borough’ status by Antrim and Newtownabbey Council in May 2015, following a request from the group.

Numbers of breeding swifts have declined by over 66 percent in the last 30 years.

While reasons for the decline remain unclear, the loss of nesting sites is a possible explanation.

Swifts nest in holes often in old buildings but as a result of renovations, their nesting sites can be blocked up or even destroyed, according to the council.

In 2013, Ballyclare’s old Woodside’s store in the square – a nest site for swifts - was demolished.

However, there is hope that the birds can be encouraged back into the area.

In 2019 Choice Housing built a new complex of flats on the site and, at the request of RSPB Antrim Local Group, included six swift bricks high up into the walls at 10 The Square.

"A member of the bird club photographed swifts checking out the new swift bricks in 2020 as the birds looked for new nests site for the next year,” Antrim RSPB Local Group said.

"In 2021, the RSPB group surveyed the six swift bricks and found that every one of them was occupied by a pair of breeding swifts!”

The group is running a project to help local residents, organisations and businesses provide additional nest sites by giving swift nest boxes and lending swift caller systems.

Anyone who is interested can sign up during the event ‘Ballyclare: a Home for Swifts’ on Wednesday, March 5 at 7.30pm in Ballyclare Town Hall.

There will be a talk about swifts and the project, after which attendees will be able to speak to bird club members and to local people who live near swifts; see samples of the swift nest boxes; hear a caller system in action, and sign up to give swifts a home.

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Neil Kelly, will be present to launch the project.

Everyone is welcome; for more information contact [email protected]