Walls, Roofs and Buildings for Wildlife
What?
Buildings don’t have to be barriers to nature — they can be homes, too. Many of our most threatened species, including swifts, swallows, house martins and several bat species, now depend on the structures we build. As older buildings are replaced or sealed up, these species lose vital roosts and nest sites. By designing or adapting walls and roofs to include wildlife features, you can help reverse this decline. Some of our most threatened Island species now depend on the built environments we create. Simple retrofits of nest and roost boxes can make a lasting difference.”
Where?
Everywhere: offices, warehouses, schools, housing developments, industrial estates, farm buildings, even sheds. On the Isle of Wight, the mix of rural villages, coastal towns and historic buildings offers countless opportunities to combine conservation with construction.
How?
Add boxes and bricks. Install or retrofit nest boxes for swifts, house martins, swallows, house sparrows and starlings. Choose integral nest bricks in new builds or easy-to-attach boxes for existing walls.
Support bats. Add bat roost boxes to sheltered south or west-facing walls, or recessed within wall cavities. Follow advice from the Bat Conservation Trust and Hampshire Swifts for correct siting.
Use walls as habitat. Rough surfaces, ivy, mosses and wall-top plants provide feeding and roosting opportunities for insects, birds and lizards — avoid over-tidying or harsh cleaning.
Green your roof. Create roof gardens or green roofs with low-growing native plants and sedums; these absorb rainwater, cool buildings, and attract pollinators.
Install rain chains, planters or climbers on façades to link your green infrastructure from ground to roof.
Minimise disturbance. Time any repairs or cleaning outside nesting and breeding seasons (see below).
When?
Boxes and habitat features can be added at any time, but autumn and winter are ideal to prepare for the next breeding season. Avoid major work on eaves, façades or roofs between March and August to protect nesting birds and maternity bat roosts.
Why?
Walls and roofs can host thriving colonies of wildlife, turning buildings into biodiversity assets. Enhancing built environments for birds and bats supports pollination, pest control, and wellbeing — and connects people more closely with the natural world.
On the Isle of Wight, where heritage buildings and newer developments sit side-by-side, these simple retrofits help create a continuous “urban-wildlife corridor” across towns and villages, from Ryde rooftops to Shanklin cliffs.
Actions for Isle of Wight Species
Swifts – Install specialist nest boxes high on north or east walls under eaves; they return annually to the same sites.
House martins and swallows – Provide artificial nest cups on sheltered walls; ensure open flight access.
Bats – Common and soprano pipistrelles, brown long-eared and serotine bats use crevices and bat boxes; site boxes 4–6 m high, sheltered from strong light.
House sparrows and starlings – Use multi-chamber boxes on buildings or within hedges nearby.
Wall lizards – Found on the Island’s south coast; benefit from sun-warmed walls with ivy and stone crevices.