Anyone ever tried out their construction skills on a bird box? I'm thinking of building one for the summer, but I want something a little bit different (of course if I ever do finish I will post pictures!). I'm not quite sure what type of bird I want to build for yet, but I want it to blend into the background but also have a bit of unique charm to it!

Are there and hard and fast rules for bird box that specific birds like? Anything in specific I should keep in mind when building it? Obviously whichever bird I try and house will need to be big enough to fit several birds in.

I know in the US there are plans galore for building boxes to suit certain birds, so I imagine that there are templates for various birds in the UK as well.

Kingfisher

Well I've just completed building about 30 bird boxes!! Some were open fronted, some with a 28mm hole and some with a 35mm hole

open front for Robins, wrens and flycatchers
28mm hole for blue tits and coal tits
35mm hole for great tits

They are nothing fancy, just plain and simple because i needed to make so many, so much cheaper to build yourself than buy too. I've just put some of them up today, in the garden where I work. You will need to get on with it soon if you want it used this year as its best to get them in place by the end of this month.

There is lots of information on how to build nest boxes for all sorts of different species on the rspb website here
http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbir.../index.asp

Here are some photos of the ones that I have made








Good luck with making yours, let us know how you get on!

You've been busy there Goldfinch.

This is uncanny, i have just finished making some boxes. Only three for me, two Tit type boxes and one i hope for Little owl. With the Tit boxes i tend to keep the holes on the larger side. I'm not fussed on what species use them, as long as they are used.


Chris.

Hi Fauna, yes I did think that a 28mm hole is very small, but i've stuck with the recommended sizes and will monitor which is used the most. We have loads of great, blue and coal tits so I hope they will use both hole sizes.

hi Richard ,very good advice there from Goldfinch.
I have just got my new box in place with a web cam fitted,its fingers crossed now that the bluetits take to it.

Good point Chris as long as something uses it thats the main thing.

Goldfinch your boxes look great

Hi Fauna, yes I did think that a 28mm hole is very small, but i've stuck with the recommended sizes and will monitor which is used the most. We have loads of great, blue and coal tits so I hope they will use both hole sizes.

There is a Coal tit nesting in a small Drystone wall in my next door Neighbours. Never known this before, looks like they are not fussy where they nest. 28mm does seem to small don't it, as my Father would say" theres no room for a two fingered Wren"?

Chris

Hi Richard the entrance hole should be of specific size according to the species. Some species prefer open slit type entrance ie for robin etc. But an important thing is to attach or reinforce the hole with a metal surround as Squirrels Magpies and Woodpeckers have learnt to enlarge the holes to predate on the chicks and eggs. Lots of imfo on the net just type in nestbox and away you go. Owl and Woodpecker boxes interesting and expensive.

As we are on the subject of nest boxes.

There is a Bee that has just arrived from the continent, Bombus hypnorum...the Tree Bumble Bee. It arrived in 2000 and is slowly establishing it's self in Southern England, and it likes to nest in Bird boxes. BWARS will have more info, and they welcome any sightings.


Chris.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Goldfinch, how long did it take you to make all those? It must have taken quite a while! Celtic Sparrow, I look forward to seeing the videos if they do choose your box! I'll have to look up some dimensions for holes for the birds I want to get.

Hi Richard, i was working on them most weekends during January so yes it took quite a while!! They all went up at the weekend and yesterday a blue tit was already looking in one of the holes! Good luck with your box, Let us know how you get on!