Migrating swifts loyally return every year to nests in buildings, study finds

Conservationists emphasise importance of protecting nesting sites used by strongly faithful' red-listed species

Migratory swifts loyally return every year to their nests in buildings, according to a study, underlining the importance of providing the endangered birds with hollow nesting bricks if traditional nest sites are lost to renovations.

The swift, which is on the red list of conservation concern, is one of Britain's most threatened species, having declined in number by 70% since 1995 because of the loss of nesting sites, often when old buildings are re-roofed or given better insulation. While Scotland this year made the installation of swift bricks - a simple hollow brick - a legal requirement in new buildings, the government in England has repeatedly refused to oblige builders to include a 35 swift brick in every new home.