Swifts are rapidly disappearing from towns and villages all over Kerry. The larger conurbations such as e.g. Tralee, Killarney and Listowel still have perhaps tens of pairs, but numbers everywhere are dropping fast. Smaller towns such as Castlegregory and Caherciveen have precious few left, and at the rate of decline, might well have none in years to come.
A flock of Swifts (wikimedia.org User:Keta)
Thanks mainly to the hard work of James Daly and the Killorglin Tidy Towns, the town of Killorglin can boast 12 Swift nest boxes now in place, in theory capable of hosting up to 35 Swift nests. There are three sites around town and one outside town where the boxes have been located, each with built-in speakers to play the sounds of Swifts next spring, in order to draw in curious young Swifts to investigate and hopefully nest.
Three of the 12 Swegler Swift boxes in place in the centre of Killorglin. Ideally situated, and with room for expansion if, or hopefully when the Swifts move in. Each box can hold three nests.
There's a nice little free booklet on Swifts, available to download HERE. Well worth a read.
and a lot of good information on the national Swift Conservation Project HERE.
A great project for Tidy Towns or interested individuals.
