Who are Islington Swifts?
We are volunteers helping swifts and other urban wildlife through nestboxes, awareness and advice.
Why does our urban wildlife need help?
The UK population of swifts has decreased by over 50% in the last twenty years, and other familiar urban species such as starlings, sparrows, house martins and hedgehogs have fared similarly badly. This is largely due to loss of nest sites in the case of swifts, as their traditional homes in the eaves of Victorian houses are sealed up due to renovations and extensions using modern materials. Other species are suffering from loss of nest sites plus other difficulties such as climate change, lack of insects and other food, and the general tidying up of the urban environment.
What can you do to help?
We don’t have membership but you can follow us on Twitter, or our website, or join our emailing list for more ideas on what you can do to help wildiife.
Everyone can monitor our wildlife – in particular, nesting and low-flying swifts can be added to Swiftmapper:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/safeguarding-species/swiftmapper/
Contacts:
Twitter: @islingt_swifts/ @hackneyswifts
#inspiringsustainableislington 