National Nest Box Week 14th - 21st February

This week sees the launch of National Nest box week

National Nest Box Week takes place each year from 14th-21st February to focus the nation’s attention on the provision of nest boxes for Britain’s birds and other wildlife. After 10 years it is now an established part of the ornithological calendar.
It is organised each year by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Britain’s leading bird research charity, whose work primarily involves studying the populations of our common and garden birds.

The aim of National Nest Box Week is to encourage everyone to put up nest boxes to help our breeding birds and other wildlife. The natural nest sites on which many of our bird species depend, such as holes in trees and buildings, are fast disappearing as gardens and woods are ‘tidied’ and old houses are repaired. Since National Nest Box Week was launched in 1997 thousands of enthusiastic naturalists across the UK have put up boxes to compensate for this loss. It is estimated that there are now 5-6 million boxes in gardens across the UK.

Making a nest box

I make my nest boxes by buying a plank of wood, from my local timber merchant . The plank is what you would use to put along the bottom of a fence and is called the 'kick board', it has already been treated so it will last a long time. It is ideal as it's the right dimmensions and all I have to do is mark out the shapes and cut them out. Remember though to adjust the dimensions of the floor to suit the thickness of the wood that you will use. The dimensions shown are for 15mm thickness. Galvanised nails will last longer than ordinary nails and you can seal the sides with sealant as you build, to make the box both windproof and waterproof. A small drainage hole in the base is essential to let liquid waste drain away or in open front boxes to let any rainwater drain away. I use a piece of old bike innertube for the hinge, but you can use any suitable material.

Here are the dimmensions to cut your plank

Do not be tempted to add a perch as this allows predators to intimidate the nestlings and may force the adult birds to leave. The hole should be at the top of the box to keep the young out of the reach of cats or squirrels. Hole size is important as great tits will oust blue tits if they can get in the box. Blue tit and coal tit 25mm hole, great tit 28mm hole, house sparrow 32mm hole.

Buying a nest box

There are many places to buy nest boxes from, but I recently came across a nest box that has that bit extra. It can be purchased through a company called Hen And Hammock . They only sell beautifully designed products which benefit the environment and the people who make them. You can visit each of their producers and find out more about them. One of the products that I think is that bit different is the Sedum bird box . It is like a 3 in 1 nest box, as the Green Sedum roof also absorbs CO2 and attracts butterflies, bees and ladybirds. What more could you ask from a nest box...?

A company that will provide you, not only with nest boxes, but bird food and feeders is ...


Wiggly Wigglers has a great range of Bird boxes , from Owl through to Treecreeper, Starling, Sparrow and Tit boxes. They also have a Cam box so you can watch what ever bird is inside. Once the birds have hatched and they are looking for food, why not help them along with Wigglys range of seed and feeds, and if you are looking for a feeder to put the seed in then you can get them here to.

On Wednesday 13th February Shropshire Wildlife Trust will be running two family-friendly workshops making nest boxes for garden birds starting at 10.30 and 11.30 am.They are also running other events throughout the Half Term week .

So why don't you join in the National Nest Box Week and give nature a hand...