Help us find Sheffield’s swifts

If we don’t know where they are, we can’t protect them.

Thank you for helping record swifts across the city. Your sightings strengthen the case for including artificial nest sites in planning and new developments, and they may also help protect existing nests.

Sheffield Swift Network Privacy Notice.

Download the full survey guide (PDF) below:


If you’re unsure whether you are seeing a swift, swallow or house martin…

Listen out for screaming parties – a fast-flying group of noisy swifts at or just above roof height. Their presence usually means nest sites are nearby. Watch where they pass closest to the house – that could reveal a nest location.

© RSPB

Submit your records

Please add your Sheffield swift sightings to the national RSPB Swift Mapper database. This helps protect nest sites locally and across the UK.

1. Set up Swift Mapper

2. What to record

When you add a record, just follow the on-screen prompts. Useful records include:

  • Screaming party. 
  • Confirmed or suspected nest.
  • Number of swifts involved.
  • Exact location on the building

When to survey

  • Season: Mid-May to mid-August, with most activity in June and July.
  • Best time: Evenings, around 7.30–9.30 pm, or about an hour before dusk.
  • Best weather: Dry, still conditions.
  • Frequency: Aim for at least two surveys per month in a small area you know well. We can allocate a map square if you prefer.

Older housing and social housing estates are often particularly good for swifts, as older roof features are more likely to remain.

© Robert Booth

What to look for

Swifts usually nest high up, often in roof spaces or small gaps in older buildings. Look for:

  • Open eaves.
  • Holes where pipes or cables have been removed.
  • Under flashings around chimneys and skylights.
  • Gables behind barge boards.
  • Under loose roof tiles.

Clues that swifts may be nesting include:

  • White streaks of droppings below rooflines.
  • Birds disappearing into a small gap and not re-emerging quickly.
  • Repeated visits to the same point, especially once chicks have hatched.

Safety and privacy

Your safety is more important than any record. Please survey with someone else, if possible, carry a fully charged phone, and take extra care near roads.

Please also respect people’s privacy. Observe from the ground, from public pavements and open spaces, and never climb on roofs or use binoculars to get a closer look.

Thank you

By taking part, you are helping protect one of Sheffield’s most iconic birds and giving us the information we need to speak up for swifts in planning and development.

Download the full survey guide (PDF) below:

Sheffield Swift Network
📧 sheffieldswiftnetwork@gmail.com
🌐 sheffieldswiftnetwork.org
📞 07850 799 891.