It’s a simple idea, really. It won’t change your life. It won’t cost you anything as a homeowner. And yet, it could make a huge difference — especially to some of the UK’s most endangered birds.

Enter the Swift box. Also known as a Swift brick.

What is a Swift box?

It’s exactly what it sounds like: a brick-sized nesting box, built into the cavity wall of a house. From the outside, it looks like any other brick — except for a small entrance hole designed to welcome birds like swifts, house martins, sparrows, and starlings.

The idea? Every new-build home should have one.

It’s neat, discreet, and gives endangered birds somewhere safe to nest — something that’s becoming harder to find as modern buildings favour smooth facades and sealed roofs over eaves and ledges.

Why does this matter?

Because birds are losing their homes. We’re building over green spaces, renovating older buildings that once offered nesting sites, and replacing them with designs that leave no room for nature.

I’m not an activist. I’m not chaining myself to railings. But this? This just makes sense. It’s conservation that doesn’t inconvenience anyone. No lifestyle change. No cost to the homeowner. No drama — unless you count the usual suspects who complain about anything with wings or feathers.

And the cost of a Swift box? About £35. That’s £35 for a home that birds can use for decades. A small, one-time addition to a building plan that helps protect species teetering on the edge.

So what’s the problem?

In 2023, the Conservatives proposed a bill to make Swift bricks a requirement in new-build homes. Labour, at the time, supported the move. Now? Not so much. They’ve since pulled back, saying they’re “not convinced it’s the right approach.”

Sorry — what? Not convinced? It’s hard to imagine a more harmless, high-impact, low-cost environmental win. If this doesn’t make the cut, what does?

Add your voice

A petition is gaining traction — over 133,000 people have already signed. If you think this matters, please take a minute to add your name too. Link.

The silver lining

Thankfully, some housebuilders don’t need to be told. They’re doing it already. Quietly. Responsibly. Because it’s the right thing to do.

More to come on this. I don’t often get fired up about things, but this one feels like a no-brainer. A brick that helps birds survive? If that’s controversial, we’re in real trouble.