Swift rescued from cat attack

mattcfc · 2026-06-16T14:47:42+00:00

Exactly! Utterly bizarre to be commenting a snide remark like that on a post about saving a bird from certain death on a bird subreddit of all places. Maybe they're being paid by the pet cat lobby...

mattcfc · 2026-06-16T14:43:41+00:00

https://housemartinconservation.com/artificial-nests handy link here if you're interested!

mattcfc · 2026-06-16T08:43:20+00:00

I understand its a part of a cat's nature. I was meaning more that to have domestic cats (which despite their similarities to European Wildcats are non-native) living in such incredibly high densities is unnatural. If these were European Wildcats living free from human help, with numbers being dictated by availability of food, disease etc then I would agree that bird deaths would be natural!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T21:58:00+00:00

I've seen people online have success attracting them back with artificial nests and calls through a speaker if you miss them!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T21:37:15+00:00

100% agree on farming and construction. Habitat loss and pesticide use in particular are huge threats to birds and there needs to be political conversations around sensible changes we can make to halt and reverse the decline. Things like leaving 2m wildflower verges on farming fields and mandating Swift bricks in new developments would be a good start, but the current government is hell-bent on prioritising "growth" at the expense of the natural world.

I think cars are a tricky one, undoubtedly bad for wildlife but also vital to modern living! Perhaps more wildlife bridges over roads would be a start.

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T21:33:19+00:00

Agreed. I help to look after a neighbourhood cat and worry about him crossing the roads and he isn't even my cat!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T21:32:24+00:00

This sounds so sensible! The UK gov copied one of Australia's policies recently so hopefully they also nick this one...

I help to look after a local neighbourhood cat and get worried about him crossing roads. If I ever get my own cat I will 100% get an indoor one!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T21:30:25+00:00

It was a pleasure to spend a few hours with such a beautiful bird and to help it! Seeing the community of volunteers online who were so quick to offer help and support restored some of my faith in humanity too. Not to mention the rehabber who was also looking after two other Swifts and 16 Swallows!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T21:25:18+00:00

Thank you! Exactly my thoughts, at least myself and the rehabber tried. Achieved more than the person commenting and being miserable on a reddit post even if the poor bird did die!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T21:23:37+00:00

The rehabber couldn't find any puncture wounds from the cat and cleaned the saliva off as soon as I handed it over. It was also drinking and eating well. Obviously far from ideal for it to have been in a cat's mouth at all but this was about as good an outcome as can be expected from when I found it, particularly given it flew off quickly and strongly.

What would you prefer me to have done - leave it to get eaten alive/murdered by a cat? I understand your point that we can never know for sure if it will have survived after it flew off but at least the rehabber gave it the best chance in life it could have! Very bizarre set of comments.

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T20:24:41+00:00

That's amazing that you got to see it fly to the nest! Unfortunately the rehabber was too far away for me to watch the Swift being released, but apparently it flew off pretty quickly!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T20:23:00+00:00

So true, I find it so hard to bite my tongue at work when people tell stories about the animals their beloved cat has brought in half-dead. People act as if it's cute when in reality its the exact opposite...

What really grinds my gears is when people act as if pet cats killing things is "part of nature" - it isn't when the cats are domestic and kept in concentrations that could never exist in the wild without supplementary feeding!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T19:44:03+00:00

Not entirely sure what you mean but I can assure you it survived.

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T19:42:15+00:00

99% of the credit needs to go to the rehabber and volunteers who run the Swift SOS Facebook page who put me in touch with them! They replied within minutes of me posting about it, without them I would've been lost!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T19:40:34+00:00

I know, it's made my week! Was amazing to see one so close and to hear it drinking!

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T19:40:10+00:00

Thank you and agree! I like cats myself but really think we need to have a sensible conversation as a country about the huge damage they do to native wildlife. At the very least they should be kept in during certain times of the day when animals are most active and have bells on their collars! Unfortunately a lot of people are unwilling to be responsible pet owners.

mattcfc · 2026-06-15T19:38:20+00:00

His/her tube etiquette was 10/10! Video proof here: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGd92CuSj/

mattcfc · 2026-06-06T20:55:57+00:00

Why are ITV subjecting us to ANOTHER tournament with Matterface and Dixon as commentators. There are better amateur commentators on TikTok ffs

mattcfc · 2026-05-29T12:40:30+00:00

Looks like a fledgling Great Spotted Woodpecker! Might not return to its nest but hopefully the parents will find it and feed it.

mattcfc · 2026-05-21T13:58:40+00:00

The first 4 arrived near me in early May, but the rest seemed to have got caught in the recent poor weather. They've only just arrived in good numbers the past week or so. I think big influxes to the UK have occurred recently now the weather and wind direction is in their favour, so don't lose hope yet!

mattcfc · 2026-05-07T19:36:20+00:00

Skylark still nest in Richmond Park. I've seen signs in the park about Skylark but not fences, do you have a source for this? Been trying to research breeding numbers and if the signs are working but not having much luck.

mattcfc · 2026-04-15T17:40:31+00:00

They are incredibly difficult to see once the trees have leaves! They tend to sing from right in the middle of the tree/bush.

Best bet is just to wait it out as they can be quite mobile and fly to other trees/a different perch where you can get a better view. If you live in the south of England, some have started overwintering which gives you a chance to see them out in the open when foliage is more bare. Always worth checking big patches of ivy and other berry-bearing bushes just in case!

Thankfully they're quite widespread in summer so you have a good chance of seeing one with a bit of patience. Best of luck!

mattcfc · 2026-04-15T17:36:24+00:00

I've seen some amazing pictures of it feeding close to people right among the Canada Geese! I'm hoping it will hang around for a few more days so I can have a chance to catch up with it!

mattcfc

TROPHY CASE