Every year on 7 June, World Swift Day unites conservationists, wildlife enthusiasts and community groups across the globe to celebrate and protect one of nature’s most extraordinary birds — the swift. In 2026, the day marks a significant milestone: the passing of the torch from one iconic patron to another, and the continued dedication of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots network to swift conservation worldwide.
From the very first World Swift Day in 2019 until her passing, Dr. Jane Goodall served as the event’s proud and enthusiastic patron. Jane Goodall brought her lifelong passion for the natural world to the cause of swift conservation.
Her connection to swifts was not incidental. Since 2012, Dr. Goodall had actively championed swift conservation through her broad global network, including the Jane Goodall Institute and its youth-led Roots & Shoots programme, which continues to support World Swift Day.
In 2026, World Swift Day welcomes a new patron: Sir Brian May, founding member of Queen, astrophysicist and passionate wildlife advocate. Sir Brian has long been known for his fierce commitment to animal welfare and conservation, and his support brings fresh energy and global reach to the swift conservation movement.
Swifts are, by any measure, deserving of such attention. With almost 120 species worldwide, these birds breed across every continent — from the Antarctic to the Antipodes — and spend almost their entire lives airborne. They eat, drink, sleep and even mate on the wing. Yet despite their extraordinary resilience, swift populations are in serious decline. Nesting sites are being lost to modern construction and renovation, insect populations — their main food source — are falling due to pesticide use, and climate change is disrupting their long migratory routes. The birds are, quite simply, vanishing.
As Sir Brian has noted, the solution lies with all of us: installing swift nest boxes, supporting insect-friendly planting and reducing pesticide use are practical steps that individuals and communities can take to help these birds survive and flourish.
The Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots programme has been a vital part of World Swift Day since its earliest editions. With members in over 70 countries, the network mobilises young people and community groups to take meaningful action for wildlife and the environment — and swifts are no exception.
From Europe to Africa, Asia to the Americas, Roots & Shoots groups are raising awareness, installing nesting sites and advocating for insect-friendly habitats in their local communities. Their work is a testament to what Jane Goodall always believed: that every individual has the power to make a difference, and that collective action — however small — can change the world.
Roots & Shoots Burundi is a powerful example of this, with members actively advocating for swifts in their local communities and inspiring others to take notice of these remarkable birds.
Nina, a ten-year-old member of Roots & Shoots Switzerland, organised a bake sale at her village’s alpine cattle drive to raise funds for swift nesting aids, installed the nests herself and educated her entire village on the importance of these birds, inspiring many others to join her mission and making her community a safer place for swifts to thrive.
It honours the legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall, welcomes the passion of Sir Brian May, and reminds us all that these remarkable birds need our help now more than ever.
To learn more or to get involved, visit WorldSwiftDay.org.
Image Credits: R&S Switzerland / R&S Burundi
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