Rescue operation for swifts: Fire brigade retrieves bird from a height of 11 meters!

Rescue operation for swifts: Fire brigade retrieves bird from a height of 11 meters!

Recently, a swift caused a stir in Neustrelitz when it got tangled in a ball of plastic on a roof. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when a resident informed the rescue control center. The Neustrelitz fire department immediately arrived with a turntable ladder to free the bird, which was trapped at a height of 11 meters. With skill and patience, the animal rescuers removed the nesting material in which the bird had become entangled. However, just before they could reach him, the swift managed to free itself and take to the sky. Fortunately, the animal suffered no injuries, which is probably due in no small part to its nature.

The swift is a protected species under the Federal Nature Conservation Act. This means that neither hunting nor catching or killing these birds is permitted, and their breeding grounds must be protected at all costs. If a construction site is affected where there are nesting opportunities for swifts, the Lower Nature Conservation Authority is called in to take appropriate measures.

Return of the swifts

But who are these striking birds anyway? Swifts return punctually from the beginning of May every year, regardless of weather conditions. The return this spring was a little slow due to the cool weather. The first sightings began on April 20th, but a large return wave only followed at the end of April and brought swifts to entire cities in Germany. Cities such as Berlin, Cologne and Leipzig in particular offer ideal living conditions for feathered friends.

Despite this happy return, the swift population is a problem child for the local bird world. The figures show alarming declines of 6.7% annually, leaving only 42% of the original population. The declines are particularly noticeable in the northern federal states such as Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bremen. This is not only due to a lack of nesting opportunities, but also to a decline in flying insects, which is further exacerbated by climate change.

Protective measures and observations

Numerous measures are proposed to support the swift population. This includes sensible planning of renovation work and the installation of nesting aids in suitable places. The importance of bird rescuers becomes clear when you consider that just under 40,000 swifts were reported during the so-called “Hour of the Garden Birds” in 2023, putting this bird in 9th place in the ranking.

To identify and protect this species, the Brodowski Fotografie website offers various information and images that are of great value to bird watchers and nature lovers. Because the survival of these fascinating birds is important to all of us.

So let’s make sure we protect swifts and their habitats. Because with a little more awareness we can ensure that these wonderful animals continue to fly over our roofs in the future. The success of these efforts will also be measured by the return of the birds next year!

COVID-19, climate change and nature conservation – all of these topics also affect our beloved swift. NABU emphasizes the need to offer the animals a safe future and to draw attention to their threats so that we don't soon only have to dream about the swifts.