Boxing clever to help birds in the garden

The serious business of defending a territory, finding a mate and building a nest is already well under way. And we can play our part in easing the scramble to get on to the avian equivalent of the housing ladder.

Bird boxes were originally put up by the Dutch in medieval times, though the reasons behind this were driven not by birding bonhomie but by empty stomachs – sparrows, starlings and other species were trapped inside the boxes and harvested for the pot.

It was a Yorkshireman, the naturalist Charles Waterton of Walton Hall in Wakefield, who is credited as the first to put up a nest box solely for study.

Fast-forward about 200 years and the sight of gardens adorned with nest boxes has become ubiquitous across the length and breadth of the UK.

But why are nest boxes so important? Richard James, from the RSPB’s wildlife inquiries team, explains: “Nest boxes help to boost the number of nest sites available for a wide range of species.

“Over 60 species have been known to use nest boxes. They can be particularly useful for declining species such as swifts, starlings and house sparrows that may be struggling to find suitable sites.”

So it’s not just sparrows that rely on nest boxes. Tawny owls, kestrels and woodpeckers are among a wide range of more unusual species that can be attracted if you put up the right box.

And these boxes are not just for the birds. If you really want to add a bit of wild vigour to the neighbourhood, bat and hedgehog boxes are now readily available.

Mini-beasts shouldn’t be overlooked, ladybirds and other beetles can be provided with a home with relative ease.

The ideal time to put up and repair boxes is in the autumn when breeding is over. But birds will use a box put up in late winter or early spring.

Mr James adds: “It is important to clean nest boxes out at the end of each breeding season in preparation for the following spring. Old nests should be removed and boiling water poured over the inside will kill off any parasites that might be lurking in there.

“We recommend this is done in the autumn. Any unhatched eggs in the box can only be removed legally between August and January – and must then be disposed of.”