Make Ballyclare a 'Home for Swifts' project a success with 68 new bird nesting boxes supplied

The group held an event in Ballyclare Town Hall on July 2 to celebrate the success of the project and thank everyone who had offered to provide a home for swifts.

Launched in March, the ‘Home for Swifts’ project provides residents of the borough with swift nest boxes and a caller system to attract the birds to the new box.

A dramatic reduction of 66 percent in the number of breeding swifts has been recorded in the UK in the last 30 years, resulting in the swift being added to the Red List in the 2021 UK Conservation Status Report.

The decline is largely attributed to the lack of available nesting sites for the birds arriving here from late April every year, after making the 3,400 mile trip back from central Africa.

This is partly due to the installation of PVC fascia boards, as well as an increased use of glass and metal in building design, meaning the cavities that swifts nest in are disappearing.

In May 2015, the swift was given 'Bird of the Borough' recognition by Antrim and Newtownabbey Council.

Since then, the council has worked with the RSPB Antrim Local Group to help build the local swift population.

RSPB Antrim Local Group said: “We wanted to take action to reverse the decline in the number of swifts because they are such amazing birds and also the ‘Bird of the Borough’.

"We raised funds for this project via the Aviva ‘Save Our Wild Isles’ crowdfunding scheme. Aviva contributed £2 for every £1 we raised ourselves.

"Last year, we supplied 18 boxes in Parkgate and this year we have supplied 68 boxes and callers in the Ballyclare area. Next year we hope to move the project to Ballynure and Straid.

"We are very grateful to Councillor Michael Stewart who helped us promote the project and get the use of the Town Hall for events. He also arranged for the Town Hall clock to be illuminated in green and blue, the colours of the RSPB, during Swift Awareness Week (June 28-July 6)."

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