Valentines Day kicks off National Nest Box Week, a 7-day period in which environmentalists and recreational birders alike encourage the public to put out wooden nesting boxes for the returning birds. The goal of the week is to promote conservation of breeding birds, allowing them safe haven as they return from their winter flight. If looking to have a garden full of birds this spring, make sure to put out wooden nesting boxes.
What is National Nest Box Week?
Owl Wooden Nesting BoxNational Nest Box Week is sponsored by the British Trust for Ornithology, though they encourage nesting boxes for all birds across multiple continents. The BTO studies and preserves garden birds and has been doing so for a decade. They advocate coexistence between species, offering information for the protection of local wildlife and encouraging layman participation.
What is a Wooden Nesting Box?
Wooden birdhouses are most used as nesting boxes. The perfect nesting box is large enough for the bird to build a nest at the bottom but small enough to offer safety. The hole of the nesting box must be approximate to the size of the bird living in it. For instance, a wood duck nest box would have a larger entrance than a chickadee nest box.
These wooden nesting boxes are then placed anywhere from 3' to 16' in the air away from predators to allow for the birds' safety. The BTO recommends placing these nesting boxes away from cluttered areas, giving the birds a straight and safe flight path to and from their nests.
Why Offer Wooden Nesting Boxes?
Bluebird Returns for SpringBecause of deforestation and the removal of old homes, birds must look harder for shelter for their nests. Offering the birds a wooden nesting box stimulates their population and gives them an edge when returning. It also fosters bird visits in your garden as they raise their young, filling your garden with families of birds in the spring.
What Birds Use Wooden Nesting Boxes?
Several types of birds use wooden nesting boxes such as:
- Blue tits
- Sparrows
- Owls
- Robins
Any bird that leaves for the winter will need a wooden nesting box upon its return. To be best prepared, find out what birds are in your local area and prepare a nesting box for them.
Wooden Nesting Boxes Help the Environment
Wooden nesting boxes are important to the environment as they shelter birds from the still dangerous elements and foster bird re-population. Whether making or buying wooden nesting boxes, make sure you participate in National Nest Box Week.
Read more on birdhouses and their importance:
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