In celebration of swifts

This year's Swift Awareness Week runs from 28 June to 6 July. This is a chance to celebrate this most incredible summer visitor, which stays with us for only around 100 days each year.

Swifts are remarkable for many reasons. They spend their lives on the wing except when nesting: feeding, drinking, bathing and even mating while flying. In the winter, they scour the skies of central and southern Africa before returning to nest — unobtrusively — in our houses.

They are capable of travelling hundreds of miles on foraging trips to gather thousands of insects into a juicy 'bolus' for their young, which enter a state of torpor while they wait.

With modern housing and renovations reducing the number of potential 'natural' nest sites, we must step up to make sure they have suitable nest sites to return to. This means provisioning nest boxes and swift bricks.

If you'd like to help swifts, the best way is to get involved in your local swift conservation group. Find your nearest group of swift guardians here.