Swift boxes go up across Barnes as community bids to reverse bird's decline
24 June 2026 · By Boroughly editorial — AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
Around 30 swift nesting boxes have been installed on a dozen homes across Barnes this spring, as part of a conservation push by local charity Barnes Common Limited. The project, backed by Richmond Council's Civic Pride Fund and supported by Barnes Handyman Station, aims to help reverse the swift's dramatic decline — the species has lost more than 60 per cent of its UK population over the past 30 years.
Swifts arrive in the UK from Africa each summer in distinct waves. The two and three-year-old birds that appear in late May and early June are actively prospecting for nest sites, making this the ideal window to attract them. Some participating households have also installed calling systems to draw birds in.
Barnes Common Limited is inviting residents to join the newly formed Barnes Swift Group to support the project and help repeat it next year. The group will also lead evening swift-watch walks in June and July to assess how well the local population is faring — a gentle way to take part in genuine citizen science on your doorstep.
Tickets for the walks can be booked via the Barnes Common website. Full details on the Richmond Council news page.