Nestboxes for Birds  
 

Why Build Nestboxes?

In some areas, there are not many places where birds can build their nests. You can help by making nestboxes and putting them up in your garden or in your school grounds.


Where Do I Put It?

If you can, try to put your nestbox on a wall. Walls are difficult for predators to climb so the younger birds inside the box will be safer. It is best to put the box on a wall facing North to South-East, as this keeps the box out of the strongest sun and protects it from the wettest winds which come from the North-West and South-West.


Nestbox Manners

The bird, its nest and young come first. You can approach nestboxes to have a look at them regularly, but do not do so at these three stages:

  1. During nest building

  2. At hatching time - The danger of desertion by adults is high.

  3. Fledging - Leaving the nest early can be fatal for young birds.

You can make a nestbox out of any soft wood and you don't have to creosote it.

If you follow the diagrams, the wood can be screwed or nailed together without joints. Make sure that you get a grown-up to help you with cutting the wood and fixing the parts together.

NOTE: Measurements are in centimetres.


Attracting Different Types of Bird

The hole is at the front, and is protected by the overhanging roof.

If you would like to attract different kinds of birds to your nestbox, the size of the hole is important.

Only blue tits will be able to nest in a box with a hole 30mm in diameter. Holes 50mm or bigger will attract sparrows and starlings.

When to Work on Nestboxes

Nestboxes should be pput up during the autumn and winter ready for birds to nest in them the following Spring. You can put them up in the Spring but they might not be used until the following year. Clean out the nestbox each Autumn so that it is ready for the new birds the following spring.