Where to put my bird nest box?
Different bird species nest in niche habitat types some like to nest high up in trees whereas others nest no more than 2 metres above ground level. Bird nest boxes are designed to meet the requirements of a few or individual species. A small garden will have room for one nest box whereas larger gardens may have space for two or more.
Here are a few basic rules that apply to siting all nest boxes:
Nest boxes can be put up any time of year. During the autumn and winter many birds use nest boxes to roost in and they then often use the same box to nest in the following spring. Position your box facing north or northeast out of direct sunlight and sheltered from the prevailing winds, which mainly come from the south-west/west. Tilt the nest box slightly forward so that the rain will not go through the hole or rot the roof away.
Do:
Put some wood shavings in to encourage roosting birds or even small mammals during the winter.
Put a metal
nest box protection plate around the entrance hole to the nest box to prevent predation of the eggs/chicks by Woodpeckers and other predators.
Site nest boxes where they are inaccessible to predators such as cats and squirrels.
Clean boxes out during October or November. Remove any old nests straight into a plastic bag, as old nests can be full of parasites such as ticks and fleas. You can then rinse the box with boiling water to kill off any fleas or other parasites and stop any new broods being harmed. It is advised that you should wear surgical gloves and a dust mask when removing old nests as they may harbour fungi that can cause repiratory diseases
Don’t:
Disturb the nest box and be tempted to look inside during the breeding season as you may cause the adults to abandon the chicks and desert the nest.
Position nest boxes of the same type to close together as this may increase aggressive behaviour between neighbouring birds.
Position nest boxes close to bird feeders or bird tables as all the bird activity may disturb nesting pairs.
So, depending on what bird box you’ve got here’s a few tip on where to site them:
Open Fronted Nest Boxes.
These are for species such as Robins, Wrens , Spotted Flycatcher and Blackbirds.
Siting open-fronted nest boxes:
For Robins and Wrens the nest box needs to be lower down, below 2 metres and hidden well amongst vegetation.
For Spotted Flycatchers nest boxes need to be 2-4 metres high sheltered by vegetation with a clear outlook
A small box with 100 mm high open front may attract robins or pied wagtails. A wren would need a 140 mm high front panel, while spotted flycatchers prefer a low 60 mm front to the box. Locate these boxes in amongst a Ivy covered wall or fence.
Small/large Hole Nest Boxes.
Nest boxes for Tits, Sparrows or Starlings are best fixed 2-4 metres up a tree or wall.
As a general rule, choose a box with a 32mm entrance hole as this is the ideal size for all small hole-nesting birds such as sparrows and tits. Choose a smaller 26mm hole only if you want to restrict the box to Blue Tits.
The entrance hole size depends on the species you hope to attract:
25 mm for blue, coal and marsh tits
28 mm for great tits, tree sparrows and pied flycatchers
32 mm for house sparrows and nuthatches
45 mm for starlings
Once your box is up keep an eye out anytime from February or March for birds investigating the box or better still put up a camera nest box and watch out for any activity on the TV from the comfort of your sofa.
Monday, 17 January 2011 12:06 | 
Written by Administrator | 
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