Parkdean Resorts opens holiday homes for endangered swifts

Parkdean Resorts has partnered with Swift Holiday Homes & Lodges and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to provide shelter for breeding season birds.

It comes after the UK’s largest holiday park operator announced in April that £140m is being spent at its sites across the country as part of its biggest ever investment programme.

The introduction of holiday homes for swifts at four Parkdean Resorts this year celebrates the start of a long-term project with the RSPB to test whether these locations are suited to the birds’ needs.

These shelters were built by Swift Holiday Homes & Lodges, the UK’s largest manufacturer of touring motorvans and caravans.

Swift Holiday Homes & Lodges followed the RSPB’s advice on specialist design features like the nest form or the prioritisation of shaded areas with clear flight paths in order to welcome the birds.

Swifts are an endangered species and migrate to the UK between April and May, spending the rest of the summer breeding.

Steve Richards, CEO of Parkdean Resorts, said: “The Swift Nest Project is just one initiative within Parkdean’s wider work to care for its parks, people and planet, and our ongoing commitment to create space for nature.

“By creating and conserving the habitats wildlife live in, within the stunning locations of our parks, we can make sure nature thrives for our holidaymakers, owners, and indeed, our flying friends, the swifts.”

Guy Anderson, migrants recovery programme manager at RSPB, said: “Swifts are extraordinary birds and we need to do all we can to help protect them, as their numbers have fallen dramatically in recent years. Refurbishment of older buildings and modern ways of construction means there are far fewer natural spaces for these birds to nest.

“We’re delighted that Parkdean Resorts and Swift Holiday Homes & Lodges have collaborated on this project, we love the new holiday homes for swifts and will be working closely with the Parkdean teams who will be monitoring the boxes and reporting back what happens in the coming months.”

Parkdean Resorts welcome 3.5m holidaymakers each year across its 66 holiday parks.