About

We are delighted to welcome back Edward Mayer, the founder of Swift Conservation and a leading expert on Swifts, these amazing and superb aerial birds with an incredible story to tell.

Edward first became fascinated by Swifts at the age of six when he saw these amazing birds flying above his home in Southampton. He has been in love with them ever since.

In 2003 he pioneered an approach to preserving the future of the Swift (the Common Swift: Apus apus) through advice, talks and the encouragement of widespread volunteer action. He studied the efforts of Swift experts in Germany, and began his work by creating "London's Swifts" an internet-based advice service focusing on how to preserve existing nest sites and create new provision.

It was such a success that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds asked him to make it a national service and "Swift Conservation" was born. It soon started to receive appeals for help from enthusiasts in Europe, so Edward widened its scope to cover Europe too.

He worked for a number of Government agencies and for twelve years was head of the department managing the property, infrastructure and facilities of the Tate Gallery. As Swifts are now almost wholly dependent on holes in buildings for nesting, his work at the Tate provided Edward with invaluable knowledge for helping Swifts by giving him the expertise for practical discussions with builders, architects, and those responsible in local government for planning, biodiversity policy and the conservation and restoration of old buildings; all of whom can have a great influence on the survival of these charismatic birds.

"Swift Conservation" supplies advice via its web site but Edward has also given over 300 talks and training sessions to various organisations. Free leaflets and nest box designs are available, as well as recordings of Swift calls for attracting the birds to new nest sites. Edward also provides tailored advice on specific projects and on the setting up of local groups to support Swifts.

Though Swifts only spend 3-4 months (between April/May and August) each summer with us, while they are here they bring spectacular aerial action and excitement to our urban lives. These birds fly at speeds of up to 69mph and spend most of their lives in flight, eating, drinking, sleeping and mating in mid-air. They usually only land to nest somewhere. They prefer houses and churches as their nesting areas, squeezing through gaps to nest inside the roof, but with building renovations, more and more nesting sites are lost. Swifts are now on the Red List of conservation concern, declining by 62% between 1995 and 2021.

Swifts breed from Ireland to Beijing, from the Mediterranean and the Middle East right up to the Arctic (including in Barnes), and everywhere they are in decline. But you can help them, and you can do it on your own, or with the help of friends and neighbours, or through your work, and it will give you great satisfaction and save a species from extinction.

Come along to the talk where you can find out about all these amazing birds and how you can help them. Perhaps you will be encouraged to install a Swift nest box, providing them with a safe nesting site.

We will have tea and biscuits!