A golden opportunity to cement a permanent future for urban birdlife

In particular, the arrival of Swifts and House Martins seems to undergo the closest scrutiny as they are often the migrants most likely to be seen dancing across urban skies. 

When numbers appear to be lower than the previous year, the conversation inevitably turns to insect populations, climate change and the availability of nesting sites. 

On a local scale, these issues can seem a little overwhelming, however the lack of available nesting sites can be, in many ways, the easiest to remedy.

With new housing construction and the modernisation or demolition of older urban buildings, urban bird populations have suffered. 

Swifts returning to nest sites they have used for generations might have their access blocked by a new soffit, a refurbished roof or a cavity filled with expanding foam. 

In the vast majority of cases, they won’t have any luck with new buildings either as they are built without the nooks and crannies that make such excellent nest sites for these birds. 

Alongside Swifts, House Sparrows, House martins and Starlings are key species that have also suffered from the changing nature of the urban infrastructure.

The solution is relatively simple.  Implementing the solution, however, is not.  The efforts of writer, conservationist and campaigner Hannah-Bourne Taylor, who grew up in Somerset, have gone a long way to making the solution a reality. 

Earlier this year, Hannah launched The Feather Speech, a campaign intended to gather enough signatures to trigger a Parliamentary Debate around the compulsory inclusion of nesting bricks in all future new-builds across the UK. 

109,894 people signed the petition and, on the July 10th, 2023 at 4.30 pm, the issue of compulsory nesting bricks will be debated in Westminster Hall.

Across Taunton Deane, a total of 371 constituents signed the petition but there is still work to do: ahead of the planned debate, Hannah is urging as many people as possible to write to their local MP and urge them to support the cause. 

The situation is becoming critical (Hannah’s briefing document published ahead of the debate cites that, according to the State of Nature partnership’s 2019 report, the total number of breeding birds in the UK fell by 44 million between 1967 and 2009.

A figure equivalent to the current adult human population of England and Wales) and as Hannah points out ‘For Swifts and House Martins…especially, the tiny holes in our walls are precious because they’re site loyal, meaning adults return to the exact same hole year on year, and since swifts can live for 20 years, they are long standing and well-loved members of our communities.’

Where wildlife bricks have been incorporated into new housing in Taunton Deane, success has been almost immediate.  In recent years, Summerfield Developments have incorporated swift bricks into new housing at Killams Park.

In a short space of time, House Sparrows, themselves now deemed to be under critical threat, moved in and last year the first pair of swifts were seen using nest bricks.

Where nest bricks do exist, the success is tangible and for the occupants of those communities lucky enough to have nesting bricks, the benefits to residents are immeasurable. 

For further information about Hannah’s campaign and how you can contact Rebacca Pow to express your views on the debate about compulsory nest bricks, please email Hannah at [email protected]