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Action for Swifts (AfS) Swift & bat combo nest box
Save £2 when you buy two promotional Nest boxes!
- A multi-use nest box for Swifts and bats
- Made from uPVC and sustainably sourced plywood
- uPVC sides and sloping roof provide strong thermal stability, durability and longevity
- Designed by experts at Action for Swifts
- Handmade in the UK
FREE UK delivery with orders over £40
Product description
Ideal for anyone serious about supporting wildlife, this two-in-one combo nest box is perfect for Swifts and bats.
Swifts are a fantastic bird species, famed for their speedy flight and easily distinguished by their short, forked tail. However, Swifts are sadly on the UK Red List of birds of highest conservation concern, due to steady declines over the past few decades. Putting up a Swift box is one of the best ways to help this struggling species.
The box has been designed by experts at Action for Swifts, a voluntary organisation with the mission of reversing the decline of Swifts.
The box is a standard Swift box with a spacious Swift nesting cavity at the front chamber, along with an additional gap and landing ramp at the back, to allow bats to roost behind the box. The nest cup provides Swifts with a nesting structure and stops their eggs from rolling about. Swifts prefer to occupy nest boxes that contain a nest cup, compared to those without.
It's made from uPVC and plywood, ensuring strong thermal stability, durability and longevity. The uPVC sides and sloping roof deflect sunlight and rain and prevent predators from perching. Unlike PVC, uPVC contains no plasticizers, nor environmentally harmful chemicals such as phthalates and BPA, and it is recyclable. Swifts are long-lived birds, so their nest site needs to last at least the lifetime of the bird, and for many generations. The rigid, lightweight nature and durable waterproof properties of uPVC make it a fantastic option for nest boxes.
Action for Swifts created this two-in-one design following feedback that bats will often roost behind their Swift nest boxes. Swifts and bats co-exist quite happily together, with Swifts nesting during the day and bats emerging at dusk.
The box features ladder-style grooves for bats to easily climb. Please note that bat roosts cannot be legally disturbed without a license.
Want more ways to help out? Submit your sightings of nesting Swifts to the RSPB SwiftMapper!
- Box measures 320mm (L) x 190mm (H) x 160mm (D)
- Weighs approximately 2.6kg
- Fittings not included.
- advice
Locating the box
This box can be installed on an external wall with any surface finish. Always adopt appropriate safety measures during installation at the recommended height.
Swift nest boxes can be placed on any aspect of a building, but it is important to avoid locations receiving full, direct sunlight for most of the day, to avoid chicks overheating. east, west or north aspects are all fine. If the box must face south, please ensure it is shaded from the summer sun (May to July inclusive) under wide eaves, or equivalent. Also:
- Avoid placing above doors and windows.
- Allow a minimum 5m clear drop beneath and in front of the box.
- Maintain a clear flight path to the nest by locating away from large mature trees and shrubs or those likely to become large in the future.
- Fix the box to the wall, tightly beneath the eaves of the house.
Putting up multiple bat boxes facing different directions is helpful for bats as they can choose the most appropriate temperature based on their needs. For example, you could place a standard bat box facing south, getting plenty of sunlight, and place your Swift & bat box at any other aspect. Site at least 5 metres high, tightly beneath the eaves of the house.
Installation
The box is secured by fixing through the back of the box. There are pre-drilled holes which go through all layers to make this easier. We would recommend that additional holes are drilled through the access ramp, as pictured above.
- Remove the lid by unscrewing two screws on each side.
- Measure, drill and use wall plugs where you wish to fit the box. We recommend using screws measuring at least 50mm depth by 5mm head and appropriate wall plugs.
- We advise using a washer against the uPVC back to avoid damage.
- To refit the lid once in situ, simply re-screw the lid on both sides.
Please note: Fixings are not included.
Packaging recycling information:
- Box: recyclable
- Protective film: do not recycle
Maintenance
Swift nest boxes do not require the cleaning and maintenance needed by some other species. Bat roosts cannot be legally disturbed without a licence.
How many boxes should I put up?
Swifts are colonial birds and would benefit from multiple boxes. It is generally recommended to install 2-4 or more boxes, ideally about 1m apart. You may start with one or two and add to them as birds begin to move in. We also have a triple chamber Swift box available.
When will they nest?
Swifts are long-lived birds that pair for life, returning to the same site each year. So their nest site needs to last for many years. They usually don’t start breeding until they are three years old. Young birds are on the lookout for suitable nest sites in the years leading up to breeding. Therefore, it might take some time for a new Swift box to be discovered and then used for breeding by Swifts.
But once established at a nest site, breeding adult Swifts are likely to return to the same site year after year. So, your nest box is a long-term investment for Swifts’ futures! In the meantime, other birds such as House Sparrows might use the nest box. This is not a bad thing as sparrows also need help, and their presence is known to attract Swifts to look for nests.
- Free UK delivery for orders of £40 or more (or £3.95)*
- Please allow 3-5 working days for in stock items to be delivered
See our delivery and returns page for full details.