Swift Nest Boxes

Swifts are astonishing aerial acrobats who spend their lives in the air; eating, drinking, mating and sleeping on the wing. The only exception to this is when they are nesting. Modern building techniques and designs exclude swifts from their traditional nesting sites in the eaves and gables of buildings. Offering nesting opportunities such as a nest box is essential to assist them in successfully raising a brood.

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  • Swift Nest Boxes

    Swift Nest Box

    £45.95
    £45.95
    • Protective: provides a safe home for this declining species
    • Shelter: warm and comfortable, perfect for nesting
    • Accessible: decline in traditional nesting sites, mean it`s important to provide shelter
  • Schwegler No. 17 Swift Nest Box

    Schwegler No. 17 Swift Nestbox

    £87.99
    £87.99
    • Lightweight models to mount on existing walls
    • Popular option for swifts
    • Well insulated and long lasting

  • Schwegler No. 25A Brick Box For Swifts, Enlarged Breeding Space

    £99.99
    £99.99
    • Suitable for common swifts
    • Removable entrance hole for checking
  • Schwegler No 25 Brick Box for Swifts

    Schwegler No. 25 Brick Box For Swifts

    £63.99
    £63.99
    • Suitable for common swifts
    • Removable entrance hole for checking
  • Schwegler 1A Lightweight Swift Box

    Schwegler Lightweight Swift Box No. 1A

    £69.99
    £69.99
    • Made from durable Schwegler wood-concrete
    • Ideal for installing on the external walls of all kinds of buildings
  • Schwegler 1MF Double Swift Nest Box;Schwegler 1MF Double Swift Box (double Chamber) Schwegler 1MF Double Swift Nest Box;Schwegler 1MF Double Swift Box (double Chamber)

    Schwegler 1MF Double Swift Box (double Chamber)

    £194.99
    £194.99
    • Replaces loss of natural habitat
    • Provides nest sites for this vulnerable species
    • Simple to erect
  • Schwegler No 18 Swift Box;Schwegler No 18 Swift Box Occupied Schwegler No 18 Swift Box;Schwegler No 18 Swift Box Occupied

    Schwegler No. 18 Swift Box

    £97.99
    £97.99
    • Made from durable Schwegler wood-concrete
    • Highly effective installed under the eaves
    • Easy to slide out for cleaning and inspection
  • Wedge Shaped Swift Box front;Wedge Shaped Swift Box open (rear);Wedge Shaped Swift Box in situ (rear) Wedge Shaped Swift Box front;Wedge Shaped Swift Box open (rear);Wedge Shaped Swift Box in situ (rear)

    Schwegler Wedge-Shaped Swift Box

    £269.99
    £269.99
    • Designed for installation in roof areas
    • Contains two separate nesting chambers
  • Schwegler No 15 Observation Box

    Schwegler No. 15 Swift Observation Box

    £139.99
    £139.99
    • Easy inspection
    • Nest-mould which encourages nesting
  • Schwegler No 16S Swift Box

    Schwegler No. 16S Swift Box

    £99.99
    £99.99
    • Sturdy construction, cleaning not required
    • Swift Nest Box for installation on or in external walls
    • With built in Starling barrier 
  • Schwegler No. 16 Swift Nest Box

    Schwegler No. 16 Swift Nestbox

    £99.99
    £99.99
    • Easy cleaning, but not essential

  • Schwegler No. 17C Swift Box Double Cavity

    £159.99
    £159.99
    • Very easy installation
    • Can be placed on external walls of many different buildings
  • Schwegler No. 17B Swift Box<br>Mounted in series

    Schwegler No. 17B Swift Box With Enlarged Brood Chamber, Single Cavity

    £97.99
    £97.99
    • Enlarged breeding chamber
    • Easily opened for cleaning and inspection
  • Schwegler 17A Triple Swift Nest Box

    Schwegler No. 17A Swift Nestbox Triple Cavity

    £229.99
    £229.99
    • Sturdy, long lasting nest box ideal for colonies
    • Three nest chambers for communal birds
    • Supplied complete with fixings
  • Schwegler No 14 Swift Observation Box

    Schwegler No. 14 Swift Observation Box With Access Tube

    £176.99
    £176.99
    • Easy and convenient cleaning via removable panel
    • Nestbox is installed to the inside of an external wall

Showing 1-15 of 15 products

When Do swifts arrive in the UK?

Normally arriving in Europe from Africa in late April or early May, garden swifts come to the UK to breed, returning to warmer climates in late July or early August. Traditionally, they built their nests in holes in trees, on cliffs and churches, so they could drop into the nest entrance from the air. Nests are constructed from anything they can find in the air, such as straw, hay and seeds.

Where do swifts nest?

Spending most of their lives at high altitudes, swifts prefer nesting sites that are also high off the ground. This way, they can simply drop into the air from the nest.

They’ve become accustomed to finding ideal nesting sites in the eaves and gables of our buildings. But with more airtight contemporary designs often denying them these spaces, they need nest boxes for raising their young.

Given the opportunity, swifts even nest with other pairs, forming colonies.

How can I help my garden swifts?

Welcome swifts to nest by fitting our swift nest box within the eaves of the house or on the wall under the eaves, so they will be protected from the weather. They also need space and height to take off, so boxes need to be at least five metres from the ground. Ensure their flight path into the box is clear from trees or wires. Never varnish, paint or treat the wood because this will deter the swifts from nesting.

Schwegler Swift Box No. 17C Double Cavity
Schwegler Delta Shaped Swift Box
Swift Nest Box
Schwegler Swift Observation Box No. 15
Schwegler Nestbox Triple Cavity
Schwegler Swift Box No17B with Enlarged Brood Chamber, Single Cavity
Schwegler Lightweight Swift Box No. 1A
Schwegler 1MF Double Swift Box
Schwegler Swift Observations No. 14 with Access Tube
Schwegler Swift Box 16S
Schwegler Swift Box No. 18
Schwegler No. 16 Swift Nestbox
Schwegler No. 25 Brick Box for Swifts

We also offer special nest moulds and help for use with Schwegler nest boxes, which will encourage nesting and to create easy and effective nesting spaces. View our full range of bird nesting boxes.

Where do swifts sleep?

Swifts are truly remarkable birds, sometimes staying off the ground for up to 10 months at a time. This means they must sleep in the air as well - although we still don’t know exactly how they do this.

Some scientists have speculated that after soaring to heights of almost two miles up, they nap while they glide back down to lower altitudes. Others believe that they don’t need sleep in the same way as humans and other animals do, which could account for the limited time they seem to sleep for. Observations have shown that some birds spend 99% of their time in the air when not breeding.

What do swifts eat?

Swifts also eat while flying, sometimes following swarms of insects. Flying ants, hoverflies, mosquitos, aphids and even airborne spiders all feature on their menu. But, wisely, they refrain from eating stinging insects.

When feeding chicks, they collect insects at the back of their throats, using saliva to form them into a ball called a bolus. They regurgitate these balls – sometimes containing up to 1,000 individual insects – for their young.

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