Swift initiative at Malin Bridge School for endangered species

Local voluntary group S6 Swifts have installed four crowdfunded swift nesting boxes to Malin Bridge Primary School in Hillsborough to help reverse the population decline of this at-risk bird.

Since 2021, Co-organisers Melanie Savas and Laura Lian of S6 Swifts have helped facilitate the installation of over 200 swift nest-boxes onto local residents’ homes and raise awareness of the plight of swifts using social media.

“This incredible bird spends the majority of its two-decade lifespan in the air, migrating between Sheffield and other areas of northern Europe to mid-Africa and back each year without touching land once”, said Laura.

“Each May, we see and hear their return, but we are hugely concerned about population decline”.

Melanie added “Look out for groups of boomerang-shaped birds that appears black in the sky. Their screaming calls mean the start of summer for many people”.

The Common Swift was added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in December 2021 after it was reported that their numbers had fallen by 58% since 1995. Swifts return to the same nests to breed year after year, which are at risk of destruction due to soffit and roof replacements. It is thought that a decline in insect numbers could also be contributing to their fate.

Local parents and residents generously exceeded the goal of £250 for the boxes (with a box donated by the Sheffield Vulcan Rotary Club) which were made by local company, Peak Boxes, and installed by Jan Bullett of Nest Box Installations onto the walls of this Victorian school building.

Robbie McGrath, Headteacher of Malin Bridge Primary School, Henry Nottage, newly-elected Green Councillor for Hillsborough, and Ian Cracknell, Advocacy Officer at Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust also attended the installation of the nest boxes show their support for this community initiative.

Robbie McGrath, Headteacher of Malin Bridge Primary School, said:

“We are really pleased to have been able to install the swift boxes and hopefully see the birds set up nests in them.

“The school community donated generously to the fund organised by the parents and the quality of the finished boxes is incredible. The swifts will certainly be enjoying life in a luxury home!”

Cllr Henry Nottage, newly elected Green Councillor for Hillsborough ward, said:

“I would like to offer a massive thanks to school, the parents and everyone involved in the fundraising, supply and installation of the Swift boxes.  We are seeing a distressing level of species extinction at present which is catastrophic.  We must do everything we can to prevent this decline which means not just protecting our wild spaces but making our urban areas a better habitat – and Swift boxes are a great way of helping the species.  

“I am hopeful that other projects such as stopping the use of glyphosate, ‘no-mow May’ and rewilding small areas of ground across the city will create a thriving insect base for the Swifts and many more species.  W