Saving Basingstoke's Swifts - A Talk by Hampshire Swifts

Saving Basingstoke's Swifts - A Talk by Hampshire Swifts

Basingstoke’s summer skies have grown quieter over the years, with the South‑East losing an estimated 75% of its Swift population since 1994. This free talk at the Willis Museum brings that story into sharp focus, offering residents a chance to understand what’s happening – and what can still be saved.

Catharine Gale, trustee of Hampshire Swifts, leads the session with a deep dive into one of Britain’s most iconic summer visitors. She’ll explore:

How to identify Swifts and how they differ from Swallows and Martins

Their feeding habits, migration journeys and breeding behaviour

The key reasons behind their dramatic decline

The work Hampshire Swifts is doing to reverse the trend

A major focus is the Basingstoke Swift Streets campaign, an initiative aiming to boost Swift and House Martin numbers across the borough by installing clusters of artificial nest sites.

Swifts spend almost their entire lives in flight, returning to the same nesting spots year after year. As older buildings are renovated and modern homes lack suitable gaps, nesting sites have vanished. This talk highlights practical, local actions that can help ensure Swifts remain part of Basingstoke’s summer soundtrack.

Get Tickets with www.hampshireculture.org.uk

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Willis Museum
Market Place
Basingstoke
Hampshire
RG21 7QD

07710 093821