Conservationists fear that swift chicks were thrown into a skip during house renovations in South Tyneside, despite legal protections for active nests. The Northern Swifts Group (NSG) reported the destruction of at least one nest on Tuesday in a street in Jarrow, where houses were being renovated by a contractor appointed by South Tyneside council.
Rescued Swiftlet and Investigation
A single swiftlet found in a badly damaged nest was taken in by Laura Crompton of Pawz for Thought, a local wildlife rescue centre. The bird was dehydrated and in poor condition but is now stabilising. Nest debris was also spotted in a skip used by the contractors, which was removed before NSG representatives could inspect it further. The damaged nest was found in an area where many birds had been reported. South Tyneside council has launched an investigation.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, it is illegal to disturb wild birds' nests while they are in use or being built.
Colony Concerns
Sue Hope of the NSG told the Guardian that it was unlikely only one nest was destroyed, as swifts tend to nest in colonies, with nests typically containing two or three swiftlets. During her visit to the site on Wednesday afternoon, she observed at least 10 swifts circling above. “It is a horrible thing to happen,” she said. “Swifts are amazing birds, you can’t fail to be lifted by their utter joy. And they are in steep decline. Not enough is being done by the government to help them.”
Hope emphasised that the incident highlights the need for councils to instruct contractors on proper handling of birds’ nests found during property work.
Swift Decline and Habitat Loss
Swift numbers in the UK have plummeted by about 70% since 1995 due to habitat loss. These migratory birds nest in buildings, but modern structures lack the eaves and cavities they prefer. A recent study showed they return to the same nests annually. Building work and renovations often prove fatal when holes are filled or nests are blocked. In April, outrage followed the filling of nest holes during a Derbyshire rail viaduct refurbishment, though Network Rail later reopened them with new nesting boxes.
In May, the UK government refused to require “swift bricks” in new English homes—a cheap measure costing about £35 that allows nesting without harming buildings. Such bricks are mandatory in Scotland.
Council Response
A South Tyneside council spokesperson said: “We are aware of concerns that swift nests may have been disturbed during roofing works undertaken by a council-appointed contractor in Lulworth Avenue, Jarrow. As soon as this was brought to our attention, further works were suspended pending the completion of additional ecological surveys and assessments.” The council has requested a full report from the contractor.
The spokesperson added: “South Tyneside council takes the protection of wildlife very seriously and has launched an immediate investigation. Ahead of any roofing works starting, a full ecological survey is carried out and contractors are given ‘toolbox talks’ around appropriate action should a nest be found. We will continue to work closely with the contractor and relevant ecological specialists to ensure appropriate measures are in place to protect wildlife and comply with all relevant legal and environmental obligations. As our investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”
The roofing contractor, John Flowers Ltd, declined to comment. In a separate incident last year, after intervention by a local swifts group in Consett and Durham police, the company agreed to halt work on housing to prevent potential damage to birds’ nesting sites.
