Swift First Aid & Carers

You have found a fallen Swift...   (scroll down for the Carers List) Stop!  Don't throw it in the air!  Don't feed it! First, check the Swift's wing length - Because of its aerodynamic qualities a Swift can only fly if its wings are each at least 16cm long The distance to measure is shown as a red line on the photo on the left Now do this!  Weigh & photograph your Swift and E-Mail the photo and weight details to the Carer, (see the list below) and/or compare your Swift with the photos below as this will greatly assist the carer in providing help Swift chick at 2 weeks old - it weighs 38 grams Swift chick at 3 weeks old - it weighs 45 grams Swift chick at 4 weeks old - it weighs 50 grams Swift chick at 6 weeks old - it weighs 44 grams Don't delay!       1. Put it in a quiet, warm, safe, calm & clean environment  - a ventilated cardboard box (like a shoe box) is ideal,        and put it somewhere well away from any disturbance. See photo on the right  - the Swift is calm    2. Take a photo and weight the bird too    3. Give it water by running a wetted cotton bud around the edge of the beak avoiding the nostrils Get it to a professional Carer Don't "do it yourself" as it is high-risk, very difficult, expensive and time consuming & it is illegal to keep wild birds in captivity unless you can convince the authorities you can care for them competently & will release them back into the wild a.s.a.p. 1: Call a UK Swift Carer -  providing competent advice, treatment and care The individuals, charities and organisations below may be able to assist: NB: These are all independent care providers. We list them because they have volunteered their services; where we can we check on their abilities and procedures, but unfortunately this is not always possible. E-mail links are underlined  S Hart - Manchester area - Click the link to e-mail or telephone 0161 798 7122 & leave a message D Lauterpacht - Hertfordshire - Advice only - Click the link to e-mail or telephone 01763 262532 D Mannifield - Idle Valley area  Nottinghamshire - Click the link to e-mail or telephone 07436113285 C Nuttall - Aylesbury & Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire - Click the link to e-mail or telephone 07917 877333 RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, London Road, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7JW Open for the public to bring in wildlife casualties between 08:00 & 20:00 (21:00 May to September) telephone 0300 1230722 Reigate Swifts - Reigate & Surrey area - Click the link to e-mail B Thorne - Ilkley, West Yorks - Can transport birds to local carers - Click the link to e-mail / 'phone 01943 816488 Vikki - Fauna Wildlife Rescue, Cardiff - telephone 07796 796791   J Wakelam - Worlington, Suffolk - Please 'phone 01638 715971 S Whitworth & J Leadbetter - Brighton & Sussex - Click the links to e-mail / 'phones 07715 681662 / 07480 841000 Wildlife Aid Foundation - Randalls Farmhouse, Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 0AL      Hours: daily 9am – 8pm - Click the link for full details Wildlife Haven, Thirsk, North Yorkshire 01845 526 567   www.facebook.com/thewildlifehaven  Wildlife Rescue - Ringwood, Hampshire - Please phone 01425 477500 / 07765 327558 Wildlife Welfare - Hertfordshire - Please phone 01438 313526 2: Ask your Vet or the RSPCA -  they may be able to help, they may know of local wildlife carers 3: Consult this Facebook Page - for advice, guidance, photos - click on the Swift 4: In Europe contact these EU Swift Carers - providing advice, treatment and care       Lynda Huxley (Eire)      Refuge de L'Arche de Noe, Saint-Joseph des Genêts, 53200 Château-Gontier, Mayenne, France 0033 2 43 07 24 38       Silvana di Mauro (Regione di Trieste)      Oriana Ferrandino (Regione di Abruzzo)            Hilde Matthes (Frankfurt am Main)        Enric Fuste (Catalunya)           Andalusia / Andaluza Centros de Recuperatión de Especias Amenazadas                  Almería         CREA La Almohallas 670 94 45 92                  Cádiz            CREA Dunas de San Antón 670 94 61 98                  Córdoba      CREA Los Villares 670 94 79 01                  Granada       CREA El Blanqueo 670 94 56 99                  Jaén              CREA Quiebrajano 670 94 62 63                  Málaga          CREA Pecho Venus 670 94 45 98                  Sevilla           CREA San Jerónimo 670 94 15 92       Extremadura                 Provincia de Badajoz - AMUS (Acción por el Mundo Salvaje) 924 12 40 51                 Provincia de Cáceres - Centro de Recuperación de Fauna "Los Hornos" 927 20 01 70          Wiecej informacji na temat jerzyka, kwestii zwiazanych z jego gniazdowaniem oraz innych wskazowek mozna uzyskac na                  stronie Fundacji Ratujmy Ptaki e-mail: Warszawa , e-mail Szczecin   5: Advice for Vets You can contact these advisers listed below for full guidance on professional care for Swifts S Hart : Please 'phone 0161 798 7122 or e-mail here J Wakelam : Please 'phone 01638 715971 6: Essential reading for Vets and licensed wildlife rehabilitators "The Hand-rearing of Common Swifts" - download this article by Hilde Matthes & Gillian Westray. It gives detailed care instructions Christiane Haupt's "Hints for Vets" - Swift condition and injury assessment, diagnosis and surgical procedures   Next - Videos, Webcams & Downloads          Back to Contents                                                                                         Photographs Copyright © G Westray & Anne Mandry