• Editor's Choice
  • New Gear & Tech
    • A closer look at SWAROVSKI OPTIK's CL Pocket compact binoculars for wildlife watching on the fly
    • Country Innovation Mendip Jackets to finally hit the shops next month after a 2 year wait
    • New compact binoculars from SWAROVSKI OPTIK released for those looking for a lightweight travel companion
    • Learn more about Digiscoping and Phonescoping wildlife
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK offers new accessories for customers with the launch of their gear collection
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK announces largest objective module ever made for wildlife watchers
    • OXAZ unveils OVERCAP - the World's first rigid, all-weather removable hood for wildlife watchers
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK announces new NL Pure binoculars - bringing new levels of performance and comfort for wildlife watchers
    • Experience wildlife in fabulous detail with your whole family using these Kowa garden sets
    • The lowdown on Kowa's BDII-HD wide angle binoculars
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK changes the game of animal identification with release of their digital guide and mammals ID app
    • Canon launches two new practical pairs of binoculars including the world's lightest binoculars with image stabilisation technology
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK have released an updated version of their popular digiscoping adapter for iPhone 8 owners
  • News & Features
    • In Your Garden >
      • Innovative 'smart' nest box to launch kickstarter campaign
      • Wake up to wildlife with the new Big Wild Breakfast on June 1 which kicks off the 30 Days Wild Challenge!
      • Walk for wildlife this autumn!
      • Are bats spreading the coronavirus? This and other similar questions debunked by industry expert
      • 7 simple tips on how to improve your gardens for hedgehogs safety and wellbeing
      • New ‘wild’ home learning hub helps parents be fun science teachers
      • Online nature activities to help you get through Covid-19 lockdown
      • Birds of a feather get hot in this weather
      • 30 Days Wild returns for a fabulous fifth year
      • Proof that feeding garden birds has led to population increases in over 30 species since the 1970's
      • Five of our favourite springtime wildlife sights and sounds
      • Five essential things to look for when choosing a nest box for outside your home or garden
      • Top tips to help your garden birds survive winter
    • Nature Reserves >
      • Good news! The Wildlife Trusts are to receive nearly £2 million to restore land for nature and tackle climate change
      • WWT to re-open 6 wetland centres in England after Covid-19 crisis
      • Start 2019 in style with a trip to one of these famous five nature reserves
      • The annual ‘swanfall’ at WWT Slimbridge has started with a flurry of Bewick’s swans arriving for the winter
      • Where can you watch owls in the UK? Plan your trip with Wildlife24/7's six best places to watch owls this winter
      • A starling spectacular!
      • Eels at WWT reserve being microchipped to track movements of a species on the brink
      • Endangered beetle hides out at WWT Welney
    • Bugs >
      • New online tool opens up the world of bats, bush-crickets and small mammals
    • Birds >
      • >> Birding247.co.uk
      • BTO ask British public to participate in a national study of Tawny Owls and their calling behaviour this autumn and winter
      • The prestigious Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition has announced the 2018 winners
    • Mammals >
      • 2021 will be a record year for Beaver releases in Britain
      • One of Britain's rarest mammals returns to Forest of Dean
    • Marine >
      • Easing of Covid restrictions in 2020 produced once in a lifetime wildlife watching opportunities for UK's population
      • Get ready to dive into National Marine Week 2019!
      • Shoresearch: new project launches to help count marine life on UK shores
    • Travel >
      • Safari
      • Islands
      • Oceans
      • Europe
      • South America
      • UK & Ireland
      • Survival & Awareness
  • Conservation
    • HS2 - new report details vast scale of destruction and impact to nature
    • New film from Sir David Attenborough and The Wildlife Trusts calls for nature’s recovery
    • UK's wildlife continues to decline according to new state of nature report
    • UK Government considering badger cull in new areas
    • Wetnose Day Announce Amanda Holden as the Animal Loving Celebrity for Wetnose Day 2019!
    • Stars speak up for wildlife in new film trailer hitting cinemas this weekend
    • Swifts are in need of our help as numbers halve in just 20 years
    • The Wildlife Trusts condemn HS2 phase 2B draft environmental statement - impact on wild plants and animals will be devastating
    • It could become legal to kill wild barnacle geese in the UK in the near future, if a proposal by Norway to the EU is adopted
    • Major project to safeguard Orkney’s internationally important native wildlife wins National Lottery and LIFE support
    • Kate Humble becomes new President of WWT
  • Photography & Video
    • Equipment Reviews >
      • Gitzo's new 2 way fluid tripod head for wildlife observers using medium-sized scopes and camera lenses up to 200mm
    • Technique & Insights >
      • Chris Fallows: Ocean, Earth and Air - in his own words
    • Contests >
      • The Wall Of Fame 2019 Wildlife Photography Competition - Winner
      • Wall OF Fame 2019 Powered by SWAROVSKI OPTIK
      • Celebrate the magic of the UK’s wildlife with the new Back from the Brink Film and Photography Competition
Wildlife247.co.uk
  • Editor's Choice
  • New Gear & Tech
    • A closer look at SWAROVSKI OPTIK's CL Pocket compact binoculars for wildlife watching on the fly
    • Country Innovation Mendip Jackets to finally hit the shops next month after a 2 year wait
    • New compact binoculars from SWAROVSKI OPTIK released for those looking for a lightweight travel companion
    • Learn more about Digiscoping and Phonescoping wildlife
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK offers new accessories for customers with the launch of their gear collection
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK announces largest objective module ever made for wildlife watchers
    • OXAZ unveils OVERCAP - the World's first rigid, all-weather removable hood for wildlife watchers
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK announces new NL Pure binoculars - bringing new levels of performance and comfort for wildlife watchers
    • Experience wildlife in fabulous detail with your whole family using these Kowa garden sets
    • The lowdown on Kowa's BDII-HD wide angle binoculars
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK changes the game of animal identification with release of their digital guide and mammals ID app
    • Canon launches two new practical pairs of binoculars including the world's lightest binoculars with image stabilisation technology
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK have released an updated version of their popular digiscoping adapter for iPhone 8 owners
  • News & Features
    • In Your Garden >
      • Innovative 'smart' nest box to launch kickstarter campaign
      • Wake up to wildlife with the new Big Wild Breakfast on June 1 which kicks off the 30 Days Wild Challenge!
      • Walk for wildlife this autumn!
      • Are bats spreading the coronavirus? This and other similar questions debunked by industry expert
      • 7 simple tips on how to improve your gardens for hedgehogs safety and wellbeing
      • New ‘wild’ home learning hub helps parents be fun science teachers
      • Online nature activities to help you get through Covid-19 lockdown
      • Birds of a feather get hot in this weather
      • 30 Days Wild returns for a fabulous fifth year
      • Proof that feeding garden birds has led to population increases in over 30 species since the 1970's
      • Five of our favourite springtime wildlife sights and sounds
      • Five essential things to look for when choosing a nest box for outside your home or garden
      • Top tips to help your garden birds survive winter
    • Nature Reserves >
      • Good news! The Wildlife Trusts are to receive nearly £2 million to restore land for nature and tackle climate change
      • WWT to re-open 6 wetland centres in England after Covid-19 crisis
      • Start 2019 in style with a trip to one of these famous five nature reserves
      • The annual ‘swanfall’ at WWT Slimbridge has started with a flurry of Bewick’s swans arriving for the winter
      • Where can you watch owls in the UK? Plan your trip with Wildlife24/7's six best places to watch owls this winter
      • A starling spectacular!
      • Eels at WWT reserve being microchipped to track movements of a species on the brink
      • Endangered beetle hides out at WWT Welney
    • Bugs >
      • New online tool opens up the world of bats, bush-crickets and small mammals
    • Birds >
      • >> Birding247.co.uk
      • BTO ask British public to participate in a national study of Tawny Owls and their calling behaviour this autumn and winter
      • The prestigious Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition has announced the 2018 winners
    • Mammals >
      • 2021 will be a record year for Beaver releases in Britain
      • One of Britain's rarest mammals returns to Forest of Dean
    • Marine >
      • Easing of Covid restrictions in 2020 produced once in a lifetime wildlife watching opportunities for UK's population
      • Get ready to dive into National Marine Week 2019!
      • Shoresearch: new project launches to help count marine life on UK shores
    • Travel >
      • Safari
      • Islands
      • Oceans
      • Europe
      • South America
      • UK & Ireland
      • Survival & Awareness
  • Conservation
    • HS2 - new report details vast scale of destruction and impact to nature
    • New film from Sir David Attenborough and The Wildlife Trusts calls for nature’s recovery
    • UK's wildlife continues to decline according to new state of nature report
    • UK Government considering badger cull in new areas
    • Wetnose Day Announce Amanda Holden as the Animal Loving Celebrity for Wetnose Day 2019!
    • Stars speak up for wildlife in new film trailer hitting cinemas this weekend
    • Swifts are in need of our help as numbers halve in just 20 years
    • The Wildlife Trusts condemn HS2 phase 2B draft environmental statement - impact on wild plants and animals will be devastating
    • It could become legal to kill wild barnacle geese in the UK in the near future, if a proposal by Norway to the EU is adopted
    • Major project to safeguard Orkney’s internationally important native wildlife wins National Lottery and LIFE support
    • Kate Humble becomes new President of WWT
  • Photography & Video
    • Equipment Reviews >
      • Gitzo's new 2 way fluid tripod head for wildlife observers using medium-sized scopes and camera lenses up to 200mm
    • Technique & Insights >
      • Chris Fallows: Ocean, Earth and Air - in his own words
    • Contests >
      • The Wall Of Fame 2019 Wildlife Photography Competition - Winner
      • Wall OF Fame 2019 Powered by SWAROVSKI OPTIK
      • Celebrate the magic of the UK’s wildlife with the new Back from the Brink Film and Photography Competition
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FIVE essential THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A NEST BOX FOR outside YOUR home or garden


​13 February 2019
Picture
​Tomorrow (14 February), will see the start of National Nest Box Week 2019 and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is calling for more homeowners to put up more nest boxes for declining garden birds like House Sparrow and Starling.

A growing proportion of the global human population now lives in towns and cities, with the United Nations predicting that by 2050 two-thirds of us will live within such urbanised landscapes. Urbanisation is considered to be one of the greatest threats facing birds, resulting in the loss of natural habitats and the feeding and nesting opportunities associated with them. 

Newly urbanised landscapes often lack the mature trees that provide nesting cavities for small birds, such as Blue Tit and Great Tit, while other cavity-nesting species - such as Starling, Swift and House Sparrow - have seen changes in building regulations reducing nesting opportunities that once existed under the roof tiles of our houses. The loss of such sites may have played an important role in the significant declines seen in the breeding populations of these species since the early 1990s (Starling -74%, House Sparrow -35%, Swift -51%).

Rob Jaques, part of the BTO’s Garden Ecology Team, commented ‘Homeowners can provide new nesting opportunities for birds by putting up suitable nest boxes and now is the ideal time to do this. You can either purchase a nest box or build your own, and there is plenty of information in our free guide, from cutting plans through to information on where to place nest boxes.’

Five things to look for when purchasing a nest box
  • The box should be constructed from timber that is at least 15 mm thick.

  • The size of the entrance hole should be at least 25 mm in diameter. Hole size determines which species will use a nest box. Blue Tit and Coal Tit favour 25 mm, Great Tit and Tree Sparrow favour 28 mm, House Sparrow favours 32 mm and Starling favours a larger box with an entrance hole diameter of 45 mm.

  • Avoid nest boxes with perches; small birds don’t need these and they may provide a foothold for a predatory squirrel or weasel.

  • The nest box should be accessible, allowing you to lift the lid or remove the side at the end of the breeding season in order to clean the box out. Boxes may be cleaned out between 1st September and 31st January.

  • Don’t buy a nest box where the entrance hole is less than 12 cm above the base, since a cat may be able to reach in and grab chicks if the distance is less than this.
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BTO ask British public to participate in a national study of Tawny Owls and their calling behaviour this autumn and winter
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  • Editor's Choice
  • New Gear & Tech
    • A closer look at SWAROVSKI OPTIK's CL Pocket compact binoculars for wildlife watching on the fly
    • Country Innovation Mendip Jackets to finally hit the shops next month after a 2 year wait
    • New compact binoculars from SWAROVSKI OPTIK released for those looking for a lightweight travel companion
    • Learn more about Digiscoping and Phonescoping wildlife
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK offers new accessories for customers with the launch of their gear collection
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK announces largest objective module ever made for wildlife watchers
    • OXAZ unveils OVERCAP - the World's first rigid, all-weather removable hood for wildlife watchers
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK announces new NL Pure binoculars - bringing new levels of performance and comfort for wildlife watchers
    • Experience wildlife in fabulous detail with your whole family using these Kowa garden sets
    • The lowdown on Kowa's BDII-HD wide angle binoculars
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK changes the game of animal identification with release of their digital guide and mammals ID app
    • Canon launches two new practical pairs of binoculars including the world's lightest binoculars with image stabilisation technology
    • SWAROVSKI OPTIK have released an updated version of their popular digiscoping adapter for iPhone 8 owners
  • News & Features
    • In Your Garden >
      • Innovative 'smart' nest box to launch kickstarter campaign
      • Wake up to wildlife with the new Big Wild Breakfast on June 1 which kicks off the 30 Days Wild Challenge!
      • Walk for wildlife this autumn!
      • Are bats spreading the coronavirus? This and other similar questions debunked by industry expert
      • 7 simple tips on how to improve your gardens for hedgehogs safety and wellbeing
      • New ‘wild’ home learning hub helps parents be fun science teachers
      • Online nature activities to help you get through Covid-19 lockdown
      • Birds of a feather get hot in this weather
      • 30 Days Wild returns for a fabulous fifth year
      • Proof that feeding garden birds has led to population increases in over 30 species since the 1970's
      • Five of our favourite springtime wildlife sights and sounds
      • Five essential things to look for when choosing a nest box for outside your home or garden
      • Top tips to help your garden birds survive winter
    • Nature Reserves >
      • Good news! The Wildlife Trusts are to receive nearly £2 million to restore land for nature and tackle climate change
      • WWT to re-open 6 wetland centres in England after Covid-19 crisis
      • Start 2019 in style with a trip to one of these famous five nature reserves
      • The annual ‘swanfall’ at WWT Slimbridge has started with a flurry of Bewick’s swans arriving for the winter
      • Where can you watch owls in the UK? Plan your trip with Wildlife24/7's six best places to watch owls this winter
      • A starling spectacular!
      • Eels at WWT reserve being microchipped to track movements of a species on the brink
      • Endangered beetle hides out at WWT Welney
    • Bugs >
      • New online tool opens up the world of bats, bush-crickets and small mammals
    • Birds >
      • >> Birding247.co.uk
      • BTO ask British public to participate in a national study of Tawny Owls and their calling behaviour this autumn and winter
      • The prestigious Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition has announced the 2018 winners
    • Mammals >
      • 2021 will be a record year for Beaver releases in Britain
      • One of Britain's rarest mammals returns to Forest of Dean
    • Marine >
      • Easing of Covid restrictions in 2020 produced once in a lifetime wildlife watching opportunities for UK's population
      • Get ready to dive into National Marine Week 2019!
      • Shoresearch: new project launches to help count marine life on UK shores
    • Travel >
      • Safari
      • Islands
      • Oceans
      • Europe
      • South America
      • UK & Ireland
      • Survival & Awareness
  • Conservation
    • HS2 - new report details vast scale of destruction and impact to nature
    • New film from Sir David Attenborough and The Wildlife Trusts calls for nature’s recovery
    • UK's wildlife continues to decline according to new state of nature report
    • UK Government considering badger cull in new areas
    • Wetnose Day Announce Amanda Holden as the Animal Loving Celebrity for Wetnose Day 2019!
    • Stars speak up for wildlife in new film trailer hitting cinemas this weekend
    • Swifts are in need of our help as numbers halve in just 20 years
    • The Wildlife Trusts condemn HS2 phase 2B draft environmental statement - impact on wild plants and animals will be devastating
    • It could become legal to kill wild barnacle geese in the UK in the near future, if a proposal by Norway to the EU is adopted
    • Major project to safeguard Orkney’s internationally important native wildlife wins National Lottery and LIFE support
    • Kate Humble becomes new President of WWT
  • Photography & Video
    • Equipment Reviews >
      • Gitzo's new 2 way fluid tripod head for wildlife observers using medium-sized scopes and camera lenses up to 200mm
    • Technique & Insights >
      • Chris Fallows: Ocean, Earth and Air - in his own words
    • Contests >
      • The Wall Of Fame 2019 Wildlife Photography Competition - Winner
      • Wall OF Fame 2019 Powered by SWAROVSKI OPTIK
      • Celebrate the magic of the UK’s wildlife with the new Back from the Brink Film and Photography Competition