Emergency help
for Swifts

If you find a grounded Swift...

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1. Please don't throw it in the air! This is an urban myth. A grounded adult is likely to be injured already and chicks can fall, appearing fully feathered with more than 20 days to go before they’re ready to fledge.

2. Don’t delay, call straight away! Act quickly, contact Linda at Leeds Swifts by phone only on 07778 768719. We may be feeding lots of swifts in the sanctuary. Please leave a voicemail and we’ll respond as soon as possible. Not in Leeds? Leave a message on the Facebook Swift and Swallow SOS page. The admin team will respond quickly and aim to get your swift to your closest rehabber. Alternatively, browse the list of rehabbers on the Swift Conservation page.

3. Place in a ventilated box, not in a cage. A grounded Swift is unable to fly and a cage will irreparably damage its long flight feathers. Place the swift on a folded tea towel in a deep plastic container, or a ventilated shoe box.

4. Carefully provide emergency rehydration:  Swifts have a very fragile beak. Never try to open it. To provide emergency rehydration, soak a cotton wool bud in water and squeeze a small amount of water into the side of its beak taking care not to get water on its nostrils.

5. Don’t leave it on the ground or place it under a hedge! Disregard any advice you might find on the internet about feathered birds. This doesn’t apply to Swifts, Swallows or Martins.

6. Don’t feed it! No matter how much it begs. Grounded birds could be emaciated, dehydrated, injured and shocked. Feeding will create extra trauma to the body and could affect the chances of recovery. Once stabilised, swifts are fed a special insectivorous diet.

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If you see a Swift trying to enter a blocked or obstructed nest hole...

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• If you’ve seen Swifts trying to enter a nest site blocked by scaffolding then phone 999 and ask to speak to your local wildlife crime officer. The scaffolding will have to be removed to allow access for the duration of the breeding season. Also call Linda at Leeds Swifts by phone on 07778 768719.

• If Swifts are trying to enter a previously blocked site then immediately call Linda at Leeds Swifts by phone only on 07778 768719. It’s likely that they will fatally injure themselves trying to get in.

 

Why do Swift chicks fall out of the nest hole?

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Because Swifts use tiny holes under a roof space, chicks often fall out of the nest if they get too warm or simply if they start to move around to exercise their wings. If this happens they need urgent specialist care. Swift chicks stay in the nest for a remarkable 35-45 days depending on the clutch size, the weather and the abundance of insects. They are not able to fly until they are fully developed with wings extending over 3cm beyond the tail. They then take a leap from the nest and make their way to Africa, unaided, without ever perching. In fact, after fledging, a Swift might not land again for 2-3 years. This highly developed aerial specialist needs an insectivorous diet to survive.