They are the ultimate signs of a classic Irish summer.

Swifts, the hyper-fast birds that spend almost their entire lives airborne, have filled our evening skies for generations.

But behind those summer sights is a worrying reality: Irish swift populations have plummeted by over 40 per cent in the last 25 years, landing them firmly on the conservation Red List.

Because they nest in the tiny nooks and crannies of old buildings, modern renovations and architectural changes are accidentally locking them out of their homes. Now, a massive county-wide effort is launching to save them – and they need citizen scientists across Cork to step up.

What’s Happening?

Throughout July, a series of Swift Conservation and Monitoring Workshops are coming to four different towns across County Cork. Run in a major collaboration between the Cork and West Cork branches of BirdWatch Ireland, these workshops are completely free to attend and open to absolutely everyone – whether you’re an individual bird-lover, a curious neighbour, or part of a local community group.

The workshops will take place in:

• Skibbereen Library – Thursday, 2nd July from 7pm – 8.30pm
• Midleton My Place (P25YT50) – Tuesday, 7th July from 7pm – 8.30pm
• Macroom Library – Thursday, 9th July from 7pm – 8.30pm

You don’t need a degree in zoology to take part. The expert teams will walk you through everything you need to know to become a local swift champion, covering swift ecology, the mind-blowing secrets of a bird that eats, sleeps, and mates entirely on the wing while travelling to and from southern Africa, and population monitoring; how to spot, track, and map the active nesting sites in your own town or village.

They will also cover the practical, hands-on steps you and your community can take to protect existing nests and install new swift boxes to provide a safe place for them to breed.

Photo: James O’Neill