Save Our Swifts

Edward first became fascinated by Swifts at the age of six when he saw these amazing birds flying above his home in Southampton. He has been in love with them ever since.In 2003 he pioneered an approach to preserving the future of the Swift (The Common Swift: Apus apus) through advice, talks and the encouragement of widespread volunteer action. He studied the efforts of Swift experts in Germany, and began his work by creating “London’s Swifts” an internet- based advice service focusing on how to preserve existing nest sites and create new provision.

It was such a success that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds asked him to make it a national service and “Swift Conservation” was born. It soon started to receive appeals for help from enthusiasts in Europe, so Edward widened its scope to cover Europe too.

“Swift Conservation” supplies advice via its web site but Edward has also given over 300 talks and training sessions to various organisations. Free leaflets and nest box designs are available, as well as recordings of Swift calls for attracting the birds to new nest sites. Edward also provides tailored advice on specific projects and on the setting up of local groups to support Swifts.

There is now an extensive “Swifts Local Network” across the United Kingdom with its own web forum, and more local Swift groups are starting up all the time.

Within Europe advice and training has been provided to enthusiasts and organisations in Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Norway, Croatia, and Slovakia. Edward helped run the first four International Swift Conferences, the first two in Berlin and the latter two in Cambridge in the UK and Tel Aviv in Israel.

edward.mayer@swift-conservation.org

Save Our Swifts