Endangered swifts have begun nesting at Darwin College in Cambridge for the first time, a development attributed to a conservation initiative that involved installing specialized nest boxes.
University officials have been placing nest boxes on buildings around the campus to provide alternative nesting sites for swifts, whose natural habitats have diminished due to modern construction. Dr. Mike Rands, master of Darwin College, expressed delight at the birds' return, noting that the nesting success occurred three years after the initial placement of boxes and the use of audio recordings to attract the birds.
"I'm particularly pleased this year, because three years ago we put some nest boxes up and we are playing tapes of the calls, which we know attracts the birds in, but it usually takes a year or two for them to establish a colony," Rands said.
The first pair of swifts nested and successfully reared two chicks in 2021 in boxes placed on the tower of the David Attenborough Building in 2020. The university now has 20 swift nest boxes at this location, offering 24 nesting chambers. A live camera feed has been recently added, allowing observation of the nests.
Beyond the David Attenborough Building, several other college buildings have been equipped with swift boxes. At the North-West Cambridge development in Eddington, over 200 bird boxes have been installed, with a significant number designated for swifts.
Conservationists have noted that swifts typically take one to two years to establish a colony after nest boxes are put in place and audio lures are used to draw them in. The successful nesting at Darwin College signifies a positive outcome for these efforts to support the swift population.