Installation of nesting boxes for swifts atthe Oisquercq substation (in Tubize)

At the beginning of July 2023, following construction work on the new 70 kV GIS substation building at Oisquercq (Tubize) – which will soon house the electrical facilities – ten nesting boxes for swifts were installed on the rear façade of the building.

The spot was not chosen at random: swifts were already nesting in the steeple of the local church. The Elia substation is also located where they pass through and not far from a local nature reserve.

As a reminder, Elia's work on this site consists of replacing the high voltage substation, which has reached the end of its life, with anew more compact one.

The electrical installations will therefore be located inside the new building. Completion of the work is scheduled for early 2025.

The swift, often associated with the start of the summer season, has an average lifespan of 7 years. It spends nine months a year in sub-Saharan Africa, more precisely between the Congo Basin and South Africa. From its 2nd-3rd year of life, it migrates to our regions to reproduce. It then goes in search of a suitable space to install its nest (cornices, under gutters, under window sills, ventilation holes, etc.).

Current construction and renovation methods, advocating better insulation of buildings, make the search for a nesting space particularly difficult for our flying friends. It is therefore important to include the development of nesting boxes in the renovation and/or construction plans for buildings.

In collaboration with the "Martinets" expert working group

The installation was made in close collaboration with the "Martinets" working group, which has been campaigning since 2010 to publicize and defend the cause of swifts in Wallonia and Brussels. Don't hesitate to get in touch with them about any nesting box development project: The Martinets working group | Natagora (in French).