Swift Nesting Box - Marine Ply

Swift Nesting Box 

This Swift Nest Box has been laser cut from high quality marine ply, assembled with screws to ensure watertight fixing but also allowing for easy maintenance. Finished to a very good standard this durable swift box should last for many years.

Swift boxes should Ideally be positioned out of direct sunlight (facing North, NE or NW) at least 4-5 meters off the ground under eaves or on a wall, This swift box can be put in a tree but remember that swift's like a clear unobstructed flight path.

Ply Swift Nesting Box Dimensions

• Entrance hole: 65 x 30 mm
• Length: 460 mm 
  
• Depth: 180 mm
  
• Height: 180 mm
  
• Weight: 3.47 kg
• optional fixing, pre-drilled lugs back and top
• High Quality Marine Ply. Weatherproof but can be treated / coloured with a water base preservative for further longevity 

The swift box front panel can be completely removed for easy cleaning access, the roof has a slight incline to quickly disperse water and there are four drain holes in the swift box base.

If your Swift Nesting Box is successful, put up some more! Swifts like to nest in colonies and will automatically be attracted to existing swift nesting sites.

Optional

We also offer Cedar Swift Boxes with built in cameras, wired or wireless complete swift box camera systems are available.

 Swift Calls CD: Attract swifts to your nesting site by playing this swift calls CD, you will have the option to add this to your basket with this Swift nesting at the checkout stage.

Swift Facts

The Swift is an iconic bird that earns its reputation because of its unique lifestyle. It sleeps and drinks on the wing whilst away from its nesting duties. It can live for 25 years or more and every year flies south to winter in the insect rich skies above the African Congo, over 3300 miles distant. Originally a cliff nester but when man started to construct his more substantial dwellings it found better nesting opportunities under the eaves of properties.

Swifts are only in the UK from early May to mid-August, about 100 days in all. Up to three white eggs are laid on an even surface, sometimes on the surface of a brick! The nest usually consists of a thin layer of contour feathers snatched from the air whilst on the wing and glued down with saliva. Swifts form faithful pairs and return to the same nesting box or niche year after year.

The young Swift has the ability to go torpid for several days at a time without food when the parents have had to journey far away to find enough aerial insect food. The heartbeat and breathing rate slows down and the nestling’s body temperature falls – a form of temporary hibernation. Swifts are closely related to hummingbirds that also have the ability to go torpid in difficult times.

When the young reach the stage to fledge they are about 42 days old. This is much longer in the nest than many other bird species but when the young Swift finally leaves the nest it is already fully independent. It does not return to the nest and is not fed by the parents anymore.