Tayside Swift Survey
Do you have swifts nesting on your property, or do you know of
somewhere near you where they have nested? Have you seen swifts
flying above your town or village in the evening? If so then you
might be able to help out with the Town Swift Survey going on
across Scotland this summer.
Swifts visit Scotland during the summer flying
from Central and Southern Africa. They arrive in early-May and have
just three months to raise their chicks before returning south in
early August.
Swifts are sooty-brown in colour and have distinctive sickle-shaped
wings. They live their entire life on the wing - feeding, mating
and even sleeping in flight - the only time they land is when
raising their chicks. On summer evenings if the weather is fair,
swifts gather in 'screaming' parties, chasing each other around the
buildings in which they nest.
Figures from the British Trust for Ornithology show that between
1994 and 2003 there has been a 62% decline in the population of
Scottish swifts. It is thought that a major contribution to this
decline is the loss of nesting and feeding sites.
In the past swifts nested exclusively in caves, tree-holes and
cliffs. However, as human activity has reshaped the countryside,
most swifts now nest in buildings. Nests can be found under tiles,
under eaves, or in holes in walls. Swifts don't damage buildings
and make very little mess.
In order to gain a better understanding of where swifts have been
nesting, we would like information about where swifts gather in
these screaming parties (and how many swifts take part), and also
details of any nest sites. An
on-line survey is available and we would love to get your swift
records from all over Perth & Kinross! We have very few
results from the Aberfeldy & Ballinluig area, Carse of Gowrie,
Bridge of Earn, Glenfarg, St Fillans & Glenalmond so results
from there would be particularly appreciated in 2012.
Any information you have will be gratefully received and should
help us to conserve our dwindling swift numbers. If you have any
questions, please contact Perth and Kinross Council Countryside
Ranger Service on
communitygreenspace@pkc.gov.uk or 01250
874661.
