Swift Bricks – they’re not just for swifts, and they’re not just for brick built houses!

As Christmas approaches why not consider gifting a future of swifts swooping over your rooftop for summers to come?
A swift brick is a fantastic gift for nature lovers and of course a priceless gift for Swifts, House Sparrows, House Martins, Starlings and even Blue and Great Tits, providing them all with a ‘forever nest’ for as long as your home stands.
At only £38 (plus VAT & delivery) you can fit them yourself or, our recommended fitter Jan from Nest Box Installations can fit them for you.
Everything you need to know about swift bricks and how they are installed is here .
Email us here for more information. We’re here to help.

We at the Sheffield Swift Network have learnt quite alot over the years about what’s working and what’s not for our swifts. The result is our new guidance that we hope you find invaluable if you’d like to join the growing number of people wanting to help these amazing birds. You will also be helping many other red-listed birds at the same time! Click on this post and this link here to get started!

We have provided information on our emergency contacts page for alternative contacts so please visit this page as soon as possible if you have found a swift, swallow or house martin you think is in trouble. Every second counts and it’s important you act fast, even if you’re not sure. Note: a swift on the ground for example is definitely in trouble.
Visit our emergency contacts page here.

This appeal has now closed. Thank you to each and every one of you who contacted us and to those who ultimately were able to have a swift brick installed.
Do you know that Swifts are rapidly declining in the UK, including here in Shire Brook Valley?
If you live in the Woodhouse or Hackenthorpe areas near to the valley and would like to have a special swift brick installed for FREE in a suitable wall on your house, please click on this post’s heading and then click here for more information.

Sheffield Hallam University will soon open a suite of new buildings running up Howard Street in the City Centre.
When plans for the buildings were first being developed, members of the Sheffield Swift Network – who also work for Hallam – saw an opportunity….

The new buildings are nice and tall and, on some sides, they have an unobstructed approach, so could be perfect for Swifts. 

Although it’s not common for Swifts to be seen over the City Centre, there are established colonies close by in the Norfolk Road area and the estates of south Sheffield (Wybourn, Arbourthorne etc). It therefore seemed possible that, with the right accommodation waiting for them, and the possibility of installing a swift caller, we might be able to attract them to nest at Hallam.

The architects finalising the details for the scheme were happy to indulge us, and we had a really productive chat about the best way to integrate nesting opportunities into the new scheme. Due to the construction style (using brick slips), the favoured approach of swift bricks wasn’t possible, so we plumped for Impeckable multi-chamber nest boxes fixed to the exterior.

We identified the best aspects for locating the boxes, where they wouldn’t get overheated and where the approach was unobstructed (so Swifts could swoop in). Due to the lack of shade in the area, we opted to add sun shields to the boxes.

34 nesting chambers have been installed in the new buildings, which are soon to be opened. Look up as you wander down Howard Street and you will see them. Hopefully the Swifts will approve of them too.

Download our leaflet below for commercial buildings and get in touch if you’d like a free site assessment:

Sheffield, UK – March 27, 2025 – The Sheffield Swift Network is thrilled to announce its new status as a registered charity, marking a significant milestone in our mission to conserve the endangered Common Swift across the city. This exciting development opens up new opportunities for us to raise awareness about the declining swift population, identify nest sites, and provide local communities with information on how to preserve and create swift nesting sites in their homes.
Swifts, renowned for their breath-taking aerial acrobatics and epic migrations to central Africa, are a cherished part of Sheffield’s natural heritage. As a charity, we are now better positioned to secure funding, collaborate with other organisations, and launch innovative projects aimed at preserving the nests of these unique and remarkable birds.
“We are absolutely delighted to become a charity,” said Ann Ellis, of the Sheffield Swift Network. “This new status will enable us to increase our conservation efforts and involve more people. We look forward to working closely with the community to ensure that Sheffield’s swifts thrive for generations to come.”
We invite everyone to join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter and to get involved in our efforts to protect Sheffield’s swifts. If you would like us to come and give a talk to your community group about swifts and their conservation or would like to know more about how you can help, please get in touch.
For more information about the Sheffield Swift Network and how you can support our work, please visit our website at sheffieldswiftnetwork.org or contact us at sheffieldswiftnetwork@gmail.com.
Together, let’s make Sheffield a haven for swifts!
Contact: Chet Cunago, Sheffield Swift Network
Email: sheffieldswiftnetwork@gmail.com 
Phone: 07850799891

Swift Bricks – they’re not just for swifts, and they’re not just for brick built houses!

As Christmas approaches why not consider gifting a future of swifts swooping over your rooftop for summers to come?
A swift brick is a fantastic gift for nature lovers and of course a priceless gift for Swifts, House Sparrows, House Martins, Starlings and even Blue and Great Tits, providing them all with a ‘forever nest’ for as long as your home stands.
At only £36 (plus delivery) you can fit them yourself or, our recommended fitter Jan from Nest Box Installations can fit them for you.
Everything you need to know about swift bricks and how they are installed is here .
Email us here for more information. We’re here to help.

Chet Cuñago from Sheffield Swift Rescue and Flora Jeferzade from Sheffield Swift Network were talking about the decline of swifts on ITV last week. It is always a pleasure to give an informed contribution to the media that takes the time to highlight the plight of swifts. Click on the ‘ITV News’ image above.

The Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife trust has recently launched the Sheffield Swift City Map! It shows:

• Swift records – screaming parties or close roof passes associated with breeding behaviour
• Swift nest boxes/bricks
• Natural swift nests
• Areas of Sheffield covered by each swift group that make up the Sheffield Swift Network

Visit here to see how you can contribute to this map with your own observations. We at the Sheffield Swift Network will be collating your records for this Swift Map, whilst taking local action where needed using the data supplied. All records submitted will be treated with the strictest of confidence.

Huge swathes of open eaved homes are being refurbished with soffits and fascia by councils and homeowners, and exhausted swifts returning from their treacherous migration find the nests they have used for 50 – 70 years are blocked….forever.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Find out what you can do about it here.