NATURE
Did you know that different birds seek out different homes, and that it’s all about location, location, location when it comes to putting up a nest box? Becca Smith from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds explains more
A NEST EGG FOR
FEATHERED FRIENDS
A
Adult blue tit leaving a nestbox
is sure to brighten your spring
that any driving rain bounces off the roof, ensure the box has small drainage holes in case water does get inside, and check that the birds have a clear flight path to the nest entrance.
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s.com PHOTO: BEN ANDREW (rspb-image
SAY HELLO TO HOUSE SPARROWS These sociable birds are in worrying decline, having halved in number across the UK. Thankfully, putting up a nest box or two on your home’s walls can help, as groups of house sparrows nest together in clusters of neighbouring nest boxes. House sparrows will make use of crevices in walls or nest boxes placed high up near the eaves of your home that have a 32mm entrance hole.
PHOTO: NIGEL BLAKE (rspb-images.com)
ccording to the RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, when choosing your garden nest box you should consider what species of bird you might want to attract. Whether you’re making your own or buying one, the size, shape and position of your nest box can dictate which feathered friends may use it – from house sparrows and robins to blue tits and swifts. As a general rule of thumb, unless there are trees or buildings which shade the box during the day, nest boxes should face between north and east, avoiding strong sunlight As the nesting season and the wettest gets underway, giving winds. Tilt the box forward slightly so nature a helping hand
Mar 22 birdboxes feature.indd 81
Robin, perched on a garden washing line
March 2022 | SUSSEX LIVING 81
23/02/2022 12:52
