SALISBURY AND WILTON SWIFTS
SALISBURY AND WILTON SWIFTS (SAWS)
Working in the Salisbury area to help reverse the decline of our beautiful Swifts.
Each summer, the skies over Salisbury are visited by one of our most vibrant and dramatic seasonal visitors - Swifts.
Unfortunately, these iconic birds are in dramatic decline. Between 1995 and 2021 UK breeding numbers
decreased by 58%. They were placed on the red list of Birds of Conservation Concern in December 2021.
The Common Swift (Apus apus) is no longer so common but it is a remarkable species spending most of its life on the wing. When it is not nesting it is in flight for the rest of the year – even at night. It is estimated that a Swift can fly more than a million miles in a lifetime.
Read more about the life of Swifts here.
With your support we can help stop and hopefully reverse this decline in our area.
SAWS exists as a project with the following aims:
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To promote and champion the Swift as a beautiful and dynamic species that enriches our lives.
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To educate the general public about the life, behaviour and uniqueness of the Swift.
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To improve the availability of nesting sites in the Salisbury and Wilton area thus potentially helping reverse the trend of decline.
In order to achieve these aims, we:
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Give talks and Swift experiences to the public, schools, businesses etc.
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Help to preserve existing nesting sites.
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Encourage the provision of nesting sites in new-builds.
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Give support and advice on the provision of nest boxes on homes, public buildings, churches and businesses.
If you would like to help with this project in any way, take a look at our Volunteers page.
To learn more about Swifts come on one of our walks or book a speaker for your group, school or organisation.
We are "not for profit" and if you would like to donate funds to further our aims please click on the donate button below.
What to do if you find a swift on the ground.
N.B. We are not equipped or trained in the rehabilitation of injured birds or young birds that may have fallen out of their nests.
If you do find a fallen Swift, take a look at this page for advice and contact details of local experts in this field.
Our fantastic local Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital is fully trained in helping injured swifts.