For thousands of years, the common swift has utilized the nooks and crannies of Jerusalem’s ancient architecture, including the Western Wall, as a nesting ground. These scythe-winged birds have long adapted to the presence of humans, with their distinct calls becoming a familiar backdrop to the prayers offered at these holy sites. Every year, they migrate thousands of miles to return to the same city, town or village, where they reunite with their lifelong mates to nest. At the Western Wall, there were dozens of nests this year.
Despite their historical resilience, the birds now face significant environmental and human-made pressures. In Israel, the stability of these nesting sites has been disrupted by recent Iranian missile strikes. Furthermore, the species is experiencing a broader decline across Europe. Urbanization poses an additional threat, as modern building techniques—specifically the shift toward smooth glass skyscrapers and sealed homes—are eliminating the crevices the birds require for nesting.
Conservationists note that supporting these colonies is relatively simple, as they can utilize basic structures like wooden boxes or hollow bricks. When the swifts are active, they are known for their high-speed flight patterns around buildings, accompanied by loud, high-pitched vocalizations. This behavior, referred to as a "screaming party," serves several purposes, including encouraging fledglings to take their first flights. For observers, witnessing these birds in their natural habitat remains a source of profound inspiration.
Helping them is simple — a wooden box, a hollow brick. When they do nest, the birds then fly in groups at top speeds, round and around buildings, making calls so high-pitched, loud and distinctive, the behavior is known as a "screaming party." They do it for many reasons — but one is to encourage their fledglings to take flight. Watching them inspired in me a soaring joy.
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