North Tyneside Council has started a project to give swifts a place to nest and breed in the Borough.
It’s installed 28 new nesting boxes on nine council buildings, in time for breeding season. Swifts eat and sleep while flying, but they need a safe place to breed.
The swift population in the North-East has fallen by more than 50% since 2012, but North Tyneside Council is hoping some new residents will soon move in.
The nesting boxes are on Council offices, leisure centres and buildings across the Borough, including Tynemouth Pool and the Rising Sun Visitor Centre in Wallsend.
Many local businesses came together to donate nesting boxes, and Warren Access provided a much-needed lift to get to the top of some of the council’s tallest buildings.
The project supports North Tyneside Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan, an important part of the council’s Action for Climate Change campaign.
Councillor Sandra Graham, North Tyneside Council’s Cabinet Member for the Climate Emergency, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve provided 28 extra homes in the Borough for some of our smallest residents.
“Increasing the biodiversity of our area is so important in contributing to a greener North Tyneside.
“We’re hopeful that any swifts making a home here this season will return next year”.
Alasdair Mckee, RSPB local groups development officer said:
“Swifts mate for life and return to the same nest sites every year. They are communal nesters and putting up so many boxes in areas like these encourages more Swifts.
“It’s a great way to develop a community of Swifts and to see residents of North Tyneside all working together for the same outcome.”
Can you help?
North Tyneside Council is supporting the RSPB’s campaign to put a swift box up at home or work. The RSPB has lots of advice on how to do so and other ways to help.
Search ‘swift’ at https://www.rspb.org.uk
You can also record any swift sightings near you using https://www.swiftmapper.org.uk.
If you want to know more about North Tyneside Council’s biodiversity action plan and what we’re doing to tackle the climate emergency, please visit our Action on Climate Change web pages.
According to data for 2023/24, North Tyneside Council has reduced its carbon footprint by 59% since baseline in 2011.
The Council has an ambitious target of being carbon net zero by 2030.
