Swifts travel all the way from Africa to nest in Great Britain. Traditionally, they have nested in the crooks and crannies of older homes and small businesses. But the home renovations often rob swifts of their nesting site, leaving them nowhere to raise their families. Since 1995, the swift population has declined 31 percent!
The solution is a bill that would offer home owners an incentive--such as a rebate on property taxes--to keep swift habitat in their buildings. Research shows that swifts prefer to nest in buildings erected before 1919, so houses that are of historical value are also of value to swifts.
Careful restoration that does not change the structure of the roof line could allow people to continue their long, peaceful coexistence with this beautiful bird. Tell Parliament to offer incentives to homeowners who help swifts!
We the undersigned think there is room on the planet for more than humans. We urge you to take action to save the beautiful swift, a bird that is as interwoven with British history as the Union Jack. Swifts make clean and discreet neighbors. There's no reason people can't have nice homes and also provide a place for swifts. Create initiatives for home owners who save swift habitat.
