Swift Box Project

We’ve been working with Project Nestbox to encourage swifts to nest in the area. We already have swifts visiting some areas of Torfaen and this project aims to increase the numbers of these amazing summer visitors. Swifts fly from Africa each year, arriving in April or early May and leave again in August.

They are incredibly fast and agile flyers, spending almost all of their lives on the wing – they even sleep, eat, drink and mate while flying! Swifts rely on buildings to create nests. They need to be high up so they can take off and get back into flight. Sadly, swift numbers are in decline due to loss of nesting sites and reduced numbers of insects for them to eat. This project will help to provide places for them to nest as well as encouraging more flying insects through native planting.

If you look around Pontypool Town centre you’ll have seen 12 new bird boxes installed ready for the 2025 nesting season. Some of these nest boxes also contain a camera. These will be switched on again each spring when the whole cycle begins again.

In 2026 we’re working even more closely with the Local Places for Nature team. We want to broaden our search for swifts to the wider area and we’ll keep you updated on our plans for new bird boxes throughout the wards of Pontypool & District, from Garndiffaith to New Inn. Plus we have an exciting collaboration with local schools to look forward too!