Moving to Italy, Spain or the Midi?

Building a new house or converting an old one? Here's how to prevent Swifts being banished from your home ...

Photo © Oriana Ferrandino Swifts nested in this roof in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, for 400 years, but no longer now it has been retiled and the tile ends blocked with cement. Using cement like this may actually impede natural ventilation and promote damp and rot problems, as well as (often illegally) destroying Swift colonies.	The builders of Italy, Spain and the Mediterranean lands have used Roman tiles for over 2000 years. Easy to fit, they keep the house cool and dry, and look superb. Fitted in the original way they make great homes for Swifts, but a disaster is unfolding as builders now block off the tiles with cement, stopping the Swifts access. It's unnecessary, unsightly, and may cause ventilation and damp problems. It is also illegal if Swifts are nesting in the roof. Make sure your builder leaves the tile ends unblocked so the Swifts can get in to nest. You could have three species of Swifts sharing your roof, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, even the stunning Alpine Swift!
Photo © Mauro Ferri The first Swift Tower of the Third Millennium! Italy still has many old Swift Towers, but new ones are rare. These structures were originally built to encourage Swifts to breed so their young could be taken and used as food, in much the same way as dovecotes were once used. These days they are managed to maintain and enhance the populations of Swifts in Italy. This one, based on an ancient local structure, was built in 2005 in Cavriago, Reggio Emilia, for the owner, W Predieri. The Swift nest holes in the frieze below the cornice were designed by Mauro Ferri.	Photo © Oriana Ferrandino Swifts flying round an old tower in Ascoli Piceno, Italy. They breed in spaces between the bricks, where cement has fallen out giving access to holes just large enough for them to nest in. When re-pointing take care not to block up Swift nests. A check with a boroscope will show whether there are nests inside, and you can then leave sufficient space for the Swifts to enter. Click here to see Ascoli's Swifts on video! The visible holes in the brickwork, "bocche pontaie", are there to ease scaffold erection. They are often used by feral pigeons as nest sites, and so may be obstructed or partly filled during renovation. But they can be converted for the exclusive use of Swifts by fitting the Swift Brick Wedges shown below! Photo © Mauro Ferri Swift Wedge Brick designed by A Imperiale and M Ferri for use in "bocche pontaie".
Need more advice and help? For advice on helping Swifts in Italy contact Mauro Ferri For advice on helping Swifts in Spain contact Jorge Sanz For more information and help - contact London's Swifts Next - Helping Swifts in Europe Back to Contents	Photo © Mauro Ferri Swift Wedge Bricks (as seen above) were fitted by the local municipality into the "bocche pontaie" in the medieval Torre dei Modenesi in Nonantola, Modena, Italy.