Nest box know-how

Birds are pretty fussy when it comes to choosing a place to nest. They need to feel safe and secure from predators and have a good view of the area around their chosen site. With hollow trees and suitable natural nest cavities in short supply, gardeners can assist wild birds by installing a nest box.

Siting a nest box

• Choose where to site your nest box carefully. Most birds like a clear line of sight to and from the nest box. A quiet and sheltered spot is ideal. Keep it out of direct sunlight and prevailing winds.
• If possible angle the box so that the entrance faces very slightly downwards to protect from rain. It’s also a good idea to site the nest box away from feeding stations where the competition for food is fierce.
• Try and site your nest box away from reach by predators. Different species prefer different heights to nest at, so try and install them as high as possible.
• A nest box camouflaged within a cloak of ivy against a wall or a fence is a good place to try.

• Make sure the box is fixed securely, you don’t want it to fall down in strong winds with chicks or eggs inside.
• A nest box needs to be weatherproof and leak free. So it’s worth checking that existing nest boxes are free from cracks and leaks – always do this out of nesting season between October and January. If your nest box is damp inside it’s unlikely the birds will choose to nest in it.
• Make sure you clean out your nest box in between families. Winter is the best time to do this. Remove any old nesting material. With bird flu prevalent, clean nesting places are important to keep your garden birds safe and well. Use a wildlife friendly disinfectant.
• When buying a new box avoid those that don’t look like they will last long. “Look for a box that has a thick wood or recycled material on the outside. This ensures durability and gives the nest box the best chance of being used year after year. Many birds are site faithful and if the nest box remains dry and is cleaned out, it could be used year after year,” says Wildlife World ecologist Chantal Brown.
• Choose a nest box that can be opened up and cleaned out thoroughly, so you can keep your garden birds clean and safe. But don’t open it during nesting season, or you will disturb the family.
• If you want to watch the nesting birds then invest in a birdbox camera and set it up over the winter so that you can get a bird’s eye view of what is happening inside your nest box.
• The box needs to be insulated. Thick timber is a good start, or you can buy boxes made from a mix of natural materials and concrete such as the Schwegler Woodcrete boxes, or Wildlife World’s Urban Bird Box, which is made from, recycled plastic and clay. These insulated boxes keep the internal temperature consistent during nesting season.
• Protect the entrance from predators by using a nest box plate. These fit over the nest box hole and restrict access by large birds such as woodpeckers and raptors, but also deter gnawing rodents such as squirrels and rats reaching the brood nest.
• Most birds collect material from around the garden to build their nests. It’s a good idea to provide a shallow mud patch for them to easily source wet mud. Blackbirds stick their nests together with mud, so a readily available source is very helpful. You can also put out Twool Nesting Wool (made from 100% British wool) near to the bird boxes or feeding stations to allow the birds to help themselves. The wool can be hung directly in trees, pushed into a hedge or you can dispense the wool into an empty fat ball feeder, or placed near to a bird table.

• Keep feeding the birds with high protein and high-energy seed mixes. Don’t be tempted to buy cheap bird food, it often has fillers that the birds can’t or won’t eat and the waste material can attract rats.
• Always keep your feeders and feeding stations scrupulously clean. Some bird diseases can be spread easily from dirty feeders and stale food.
• For a fantastic mix of high quality birdseed check out Richard Jackson High Energy Bird Food. It’s packed full of great ingredients to help support a huge range of garden birds and contains extra high levels of sunflower hearts as well as a carefully chosen mix of other seeds and ingredients to care for garden birds. It also contains a natural form of calcium to help nesting birds form strong eggs in spring.
• Finally if you get a bumblebee nest in your bird box, don’t panic. It’s pretty likely to be the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum), which often nest in empty bird boxes. These are fascinating creatures, vital pollinators and a joy to watch. The nest will die out in late summer or early autumn when you can clean your bird box out ready for its next family. Sometimes a bumblebee queen may oust a blue tit from a bird box. Let nature prevail, they will sort themselves out.