Knowledge base: Nest boxes and nesting birds
Where should I put a swift box?
High on a building, in the shade. The RSPB says put a swift box at least 5 metres (16 feet) above the ground, right under the roof overhang, on a wall that faces north, east or somewhere in between, out of direct sunlight, and where swifts can fly straight in.
The RSPB’s checklist
- Height: at least 5m above the ground.
- Position: on a building wall, directly under the roof overhang.
- Direction: a wall facing north, east or somewhere in between.
- Sun: not in direct sunlight.
- Access: easy to fly into. The RSPB explains that swifts dive down, then swoop up to the entrance at speed, and that upward swoop slows them for landing, so nothing should block the approach.
Why it is worth doing
The RSPB says swifts are on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern and that their numbers have declined dramatically. They nest in dry spots just inside roofs, often where felt is torn or soffit boarding has rotted, so repairs can remove sites. A box gives them somewhere to go.
If you find a swift on the ground
The RSPB says never try to launch a grounded swift; contact a swift rehabilitator. See I’ve found a baby bird on the ground.
Sources
- RSPB: Create a high home for swifts, opened 14 November 2026.
- RSPB: Birds in the roof, opened 14 November 2026.
- RSPB: If you find an injured bird, opened 14 November 2026.