Where is the best place to put a bird nesting box?

Choosing the location Unless there are trees or buildings which shade the box during the day, face the box between north and east, thus avoiding strong sunlight and the wettest winds. Make sure that the birds have a clear flight path to the nest without any clutter directly in front of the entrance.

Should you put anything in a bird nesting box?

The nesting box must be the correct height for the birds that will use it. It needs to face the right way. Don’t put anything in your bird box (birds are clever an resourceful enough to build their own nest). Don’t put nesting boxes too close to each other.

How big should a bird nesting box be?

How big should the hole be in a bird box? If you’re not sure what bird species in your area are most in need of nesting boxes, a diameter of 32 millimetres is good for all common birds that nest in small holes. But smaller species such as blue tits who move in may get ousted by larger, more dominant species.

What is the best shape for a nest box?

Fortunately, house sparrows seem to prefer to nest in boxes with round holes rather than boxes with slots or oval entrance holes. Biologists have found that starlings can also be discouraged from using these boxes by installing a 1/16-inch shim on one side of the oval hole.

How high should a robin nest box be?

The box should be placed within the cover of a climber or overhanging vegetation. Robins typically nest quite low, usually below 6–7 feet off the ground.

Can you look in a bird box?

Birds may go in and out of the boxes very quickly, so even if you haven’t seen any activity, it’s always worth taking a careful look. If you see birds flying in and out of the box, it’s definitely worth having a look inside, particularly if they are carrying nesting material.

Will birds use dryer lint for nesting?

Don’t Use Dryer Lint! The lint collected in your dryer filter may seem like ideal nesting material, but it isn’t. It will soak up water and may be steeped with chemicals unhealthy for birds, such as remnants of detergent and softener.

Do birds roost in nest boxes?

Many birds roost in nestboxes, especially during a cold winter night. These roosts are frequently communal with the birds packing together for extra warmth.

Is plywood OK for bird boxes?

The thickness is important to insulate the box from cold and heat and to stop the box from warping. You can use exterior-quality plywood (for a lightbox) or, for something more sturdy, hardwoods (such as oak and beech) or softwood (such as pine, but this will deteriorate more quickly).

What is the best wood for a bird box?

The best materials for bird nest boxes are harder types of wood, such as cedar, oak or beech, at least 15mm thick, or woodcrete (a waterproof mixture of wood fibres and concrete). These provide good insulation and are difficult for predators to gnaw through to get to a nest.

Why do birds need a nesting box?

Some birds use nest boxes as roost sites after the breeding season is over . Nest boxes offer shelter from rain, snow, wind, and cold -although a couple of aspects are not ideal for overnight roosting. They can be too small for groups of roosting birds, and their smooth sides and open interiors don’t offer much in the way of perches.

Which birds use nest boxes?

The birds most likely to use nest boxes are blue tits or coal tits, but sparrows, nuthatches, robins, woodpeckers, and wrens, as well as other members of the tit family may all take up residence.

How and where to hang bluebird nesting boxes?

Place the bluebird nest box in an open area away from trees, fences, houses or barns to avoid predators, nesting wrens or house sparrows . Turn the entrance hole of the nest box to the south or east to keep the weather from summer storms out of the box. Keep the nest box away from dense cover such as thickets or scrub to discourage hiding predators.

Where should I place the bluebird nest box?

Locate in an open, grassy field edge or lawn area away from trees. Place the box about 5 feet off the ground on a wooden or metal pole. Face the entrance hole AWAY from the west, north, or northwest, as this is the primary direction that spring/summer storms come from. Place away from dense cover (shrubs, thickets) and woods.