Civic Pride Fund empowers community effort to save Barnes’ swifts

Our Civic Pride Fund recently supported a powerful community led conservation project by local charity Barnes Common Limited.

This Climate Action Week, explore how this initiative is helping residents protect one of Britain’s most iconic and most threatened summer visitors, the swift.

Swifts have declined by over 60% in the last 30 years. With funding from the our Civic Pride Fund and support from the Barnes Handyman Station, Barnes Common Limited have set up a Barnes Swift Group and put up around 30 swift boxes on a dozen houses around Barnes this spring. Some households have also bought calling systems which can help attract birds.

Swifts land in the UK from Africa each year in distinct waves, depending on their age. The 2 and 3-year-old birds that arrive in late May and early June to prospect for nest sites for next year are the ones that we are looking to attract.

Barnes Common Limited invites residents to join the Barnes Swift Group and support their efforts to repeat the project next year. They will also lead evening swift watch walks in June and July to assess the local population. To find out more and book your tickets for the swifts walk, visit Barnes Common.

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