Boxes added to Cowley homes to save swifts

23rd April

By Erin Lyons Reporter

BOXES have been added to Cowley houses in a bid to help a species of endangered birds.

The aim is to provide additional nesting spaces for swifts – known as a ‘master of the sky’ – which have seen numbers plummet in recent years, falling by more than half between 1995 and 2015.

This is largely due to a loss of suitable nest spaces as old buildings are renovated or demolished, with new buildings often lacking the crevices the small birds use.

Twelve of the bespoke boxes have now been installed on properties in the Clive Road and Maidcroft Road area, with more set to be added.

Cowley councillor David Henwood used his ward budget to fund installing the boxes, with nine coming from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and three home made.

Mr Henwood worked with Florence Park Low Carbon and Environment on the project.

Continued