Scotland passed a law that will require “nest bricks” to be included in all new buildings. These special blocks are built into facades and serve as a safe shelter for urban birds, especially swifts.
The measure seeks to address the sharp decline of these birds, whose population has fallen by nearly 60% since 1995. Experts explain that modern architecture eliminated cracks and spaces where they could previously nest.
The bricks do not affect the insulation of homes and also provide benefits for people, since a single swift can eat thousands of mosquitoes a day, helping control insects naturally.