Swift walk in Blanchardstown as part of Swift Survey by Bird Watch Ireland and Fingal County Council
The Swift survey kicked off with a walk in Balbriggan on the 17th of May and will be followed by a Swift walk on Sunday 25th May in at 7:30pm in Blanchardstown, meeting at Tesco Superstore, Roselawn, D15 P20Y.
BirdWatch Ireland in partnership with Fingal County Council is undertaking a breeding Swift survey across Fingal County this summer. The Fingal Swift Survey is a collaboration between Fingal County Council and BirdWatch Ireland and is funded by Fingal County Council.
The Swift survey kicked off with a walk in Balbriggan on the 17th of May and will be followed by a Swift walk on Sunday 25th May in at 7:30pm in Blanchardstown, meeting at Tesco Superstore, Roselawn, D15 P20Y.
Swifts are remarkable, spending most of their lives in the air, only coming to land to nest. They sleep, eat, mate, and drink on the wing. Even the material used to line their nests is gathered on the wing.
Unfortunately, the Swift is undergoing massive declines in Ireland and across much of Europe. In the Republic of Ireland, 58% of the breeding population was lost between 1998 and 2016 according to the Countryside Bird Survey, operated by BirdWatch Ireland on behalf of National Parks and Wildlife Services. As such, the Swift is now on Irelands endangered or Birds of Conservation Concern Red List, alongside other notable species such as the Curlew, Corncrake and Kestrel.
The reasons for their decline are multi-faceted, but one of the main driving forces behind their decline appears to be a lack of nesting space. Locating their nests and protecting them is a key step to conserving this species.
To aid their efforts, BirdWatch Ireland is asking the public to report any sightings of Swifts by emailing
The public will also have opportunities to get involved in local surveys over the summer, just keep an eye on social media for updates. We will be providing more information, such as specific calls for volunteers later on in the summer.