Nest Box Advice

January - birds are now looking out for places to breed in the coming year. If you haven't put a nest box up yet, now is the time to do it. Our CedarPlus nest boxes are by far the most robust wooden nest boxes and they look very attractive.

Nest boxes are generally divided into two types: open-fronted or enclosed with various size holes dependent on the bird species. Larger birds quite obviously require larger nest boxes for example owls require a much larger nest box than say Blue Tits.

Where To Place Your Nest Box

Nest boxes are generally best erected in the autumn as many birds start looking for new nest sites during the autumn and winter months. Some species can use the same nest box year after year.The siting of a nest box depends on which bird species the box is intended for. Robins and wrens tend to prefer open-fronted nest boxes placed low down, say under 2m preferably well hidden by vegetation. On the other hand the tits prefer boxes mounted 3-4m above ground either in a tree or on a wall. The best aspect of a nest box is facing somewhere between north and east so that they are not in direct sunlight and are facing away from prevailing wet westerly winds. But if you are on the coast, the prevailing winds may dictate that they face in a more sheltered direction.

Nest Box Maintenance

Once birds have finished nesting in a nest box in the autumn it is recommended that they are cleaned out and any old nests removed. Old nests can harbour a whole range of insects and parasites including many earwigs. These should all be removed and the box washed out. You may also find unhatched eggs in the nest, this is quite normal and they should be disposed of safely.

Also beware that during the winter months some species of birds including Long-tailed Tits can use nest boxes as a winter roost as it increases their survival rate in the cold winter months. If you think that birds may use your nest boxes as a winter roost, place some hay in the bottom of them.

Further Nest Box Advice

Much more information on nest boxes and how to make your own may be found on various bird websites or can be obtained from many books either in the local library or purchased from our online shop. The book opposite is particularly good for nest box designs of various types if you want to make your own


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