A TWO-YEAR project to turn Oxford into a 'swift city' takes flight tomorrow.

The RSPB will officially unveil its £83,700 plans in a launch event at Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

The charity and its partners plan to spend the Heritage Lottery Fund cash maintaining nest sites and creating 300 new nests onto the sides of buildings.

They also want to encourage residents to join in the project.

Project leader Lucy Hyde said the launch marked a 'new chapter' for the vulnerable birds in Oxford.

She said: "This wonderful community project will provide local residents with a great opportunity to not only learn more about this fun, iconic bird, but to take action themselves to help give swifts a home in Oxford.

"Whether it’s planting wildflowers in your garden, putting up a swift nestbox or recording a swift sighting, there are lots of ways for residents to get involved."

To mark the project launch and raise public awareness, events will be taking place on the museum's front lawn on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

The setting is apt: a swift colony which nests in the museum roof has been intensively studied by the Edward Grey Institute of Ornithology since 1948.

Museum education officer Chris Jarvis said: "As the site of the longest-running continuous study of swifts in the world we're thrilled to be part of the project.

"It will help us deliver educational and public programmes that celebrate our iconic summer visitors and help to encourage people in Oxford to get involved in conserving and studying these beautiful birds."

The iconic migrating bird, which can fly 560 miles a day and lands only to breed, nests almost exclusively in urban areas.

However numbers in the UK have fallen by 47 per cent since 1995.

One possible cause of the decline is thought to be loss of nesting sites, as old buildings are renovated and new builds do not include spaces for them to nest.

To address this, the Oxford Swift City project will conduct extensive research into present swift populations in Oxford, and use this information to work closely with builders and planners to maintain and incorporate nest sites in homes, offices and colleges.

The RSPB will work with the natural history museum, the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), Oxford City Council on its project.

The University of Oxford, Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre and Environmental Resource Management will also lend a hand.

The city council's environmental quality team manager Mai Jarvis said: "The council is very excited to see the launch of the Oxford Swift City project.

"Swifts have a special relationship with the city of Oxford and we are pleased to be partnering with the RSPB in conserving this amazing bird."