Nesting Boxes/Maintenance

Nestboxes are a great substitute for natural habitat which is diminishing fast in today's modern world.

In excess of 60 species are known to have taken up residence in nestboxes. The most frequent species are tits, house and tree sparrows, robins, house martins, nuthatches, spotted and pied flycatchers and starlings. Although a lot will depend on where the box is situated and the surroundings.

Please remember not to inspect nestboxes once they are habited, but to watch and enjoy the nesting pair from a safe distance.

Siting a Nestbox
The siting of your nestbox is important as this will increase the likelihood of birds using the box and if positioned correctly can enhance the survival of the young fledging. 

An ideal position will be secluded, away from predators and sheltered from the elements. If the box isn't shaded by trees or buildings, face the box between north and east to avoid the strongest sunlight, driving rain and winds.

It is a good idea to tilt the box slightly so that any driving rain hits the roof and clears the entrance.

Nestboxes should also be sited in a different area of the garden to feeding tables, this avoids any conflict between nesting and feeding birds.

New nestboxes are best sited during the autumn, with many birds using during the autumn and winter looking for a place to roost. They may even use the same box for nesting the following spring.

If your box hasn’t been used after a couple of seasons, the likely solution is that it is in the wrong place.

Maintenance of a Nestbox
Nest boxes should be cleaned out each year to avoid the build up of parasites. Otherwise, these parasites can remain until the following year and infest the new young birds. It is recommended that olds nests be removed during the autumn, once the birds have stopped using the box.

To clean the box thoroughly, use boiling water to kill any remaining parasites and leave to dry out before replacing the lid. DO NOT use any flea powders or insecticides.

If the box has any remaining unhatched eggs, these can only be legally removed between August to January and must be disposed of.

It is normal for some eggs not to hatch, or youngsters to die, Blue Tits and Great Tits can lay up to 14 eggs, so naturally there will be some losses due to cold weather, food shortage, loss of a parent or interference from predators.

 

Conflicts
Predators and insects, may also take up habitation in nestboxes.Predators - these include cats, mice, rats, squirrels, stoats, weasels, woodpeckers and if an open fronted box, crows. A natural resource to deter predators is to site the box in and around gorse or roses.

Insects - wasps, bees or earwigs have been known to take over nestboxes and apart from using insect sprays there is little to deter them. Insects, however, provide useful food to birds so it is advisable to leave them alone.

Other Birds - sparrows and starlings will sometimes take over nesting holes used by tits, the tits are usually effective in defending themselves as long as the intruder cannot get inside. A hole size of 25mm will prevent this. Avoid boxes with a perch on the front as this will encourage predators and birds do not need a perch.