News

The University of Warwick campus in Coventry is a haven for wildlife with its ponds, coppices, hedgerows and wildflower areas. But it’s not only these green spaces that are home to iconic British species!

Several birds use buildings to nest in/on, including swifts, swallows and house martins – all of which have been sighted on campus.

Swifts are red listed UK Birds of Conservation Concern due to a 68% decline between 1995 and 2023. They never land to feed, and their aerial acrobatics as they feed on the wing is a spectacular sight, which many of us are familiar with. As they are well adapted to living in close proximity to humans, as long as there are plenty of insects to feed on, having swift nest boxes on buildings can help to boost the population of this amazing species, even in cities.

Working in partnership with the University’s carpentry team and with a representative of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), six swift nest boxes were installed at Lakeside Residences, where swifts had been sighted in previous years. This location is surrounded by a variety of natural habitats, providing ample foraging opportunities.

We will monitor these nest boxes to see how many of them will be used by swifts (or any other species).

This is just one example of a cross-departmental collaboration project with external partners, which supports our work to create a campus that is beneficial to people as well as wildlife.

We thank everyone who supported this project!

If you find an injured swifts or other wildlife on campus, please visit the FAQs section of our websiteLink opens in a new window for a list of organisations who can advise on what to do.