Ingenious nesting bricks to be installed in all new homes to help declining birds

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Nest bricks are to be built into all new developments in Bury to protect migratory birds. The authority has become the first in Greater Manchester to include the mandatory conditioning of ‘swift bricks’ into new housingfor ‘building-dependent’ species such as swifts and house martins.

The move comes after an eight-year campaign from a 20 -strong nature volunteer group, Bolton and Bury Swifts, who rescue and nurture swifts and house martins who are struggling.

Swifts are a migratory species that grace our skies each summer after wintering in Africa. They often fly back to the same established nest within the exterior walls of houses in the UK.

The building in of ‘swift bricks’ will also help protect house sparrows and starlings which are partially dependent on nests within homes.