One in four bird species in the UK are under serious threat and it seems we can all play a part in reducing this threat.

Young birds are at the highest risk of a short life expectancy as they are new to the world and have still to develop their predator awareness and learn how to fly to survive leaving the nest.

According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), only 37 per cent of blue tits make it through their first year of life.

A blue tit sits on a coconut shell. (Pic credit: Roland Weihrauch / DPA / AFP via Getty Images)

It was also found that 90 per cent of the world’s birds are monogamous, meaning that they stick to one mate at a time, yet some birds are struggling to reproduce.

Mr McMenemy, founder of Ark Wildlife, said: “Between the loss of woodland, tidier gardens and modern, insulated houses, our poor old birds are left with far fewer nesting opportunities.

“Hole-nesting birds such as blue tits will particularly appreciate a suitable nest box. Open-fronted nest boxes will attract even more species, including robins and blackbirds.

“Feeding birds is rewarding enough, but nothing compares to watching a little bird take its first flight, especially if it’s from a nest box you put up yourself. And if we give birds more places to nest and provide healthy bird food, they’ll mate more, which will help to slow the alarming decline in bird species.”

How to create a nest box for birds

Similar to how us humans have a preference about where we go with friends and family and how to raise a family, birds have these preferences too.

Some birds, such as sparrows and blue tits, prefer nest boxes with small entrances, while others, like robins and wrens, opt for more open-fronted nest boxes. There are also birds like starlings and woodpeckers who need larger holes in their nest boxes.

Mr McMenemy has come up with a step-by-step guide for making and placing your nest box.

1. Find some waterproof timber, at least 15mm thick.

2. Use a plan similar to this RSPB one to cut the wood to size.

3. Put the box together using galvanised screws.

4. Cut the right size hole for the birds you want to attract.

5. Place the nest box on a wall or tree, it must be two to four metres high for most birds.

Wildlife expert offers tips to create a bird nest box in your garden to help save a baby bird’s life