WEST-RIDING WILDLIFE CONSULTANT, HOLME/COLNE-VALLEY BADGERS BIRDS BEES

The RSPB reported some bizarre nestbox sharing - Barn owls it seems will tolerate a number of other birds notably Kestrels & Jackdaws - EVEN PIGEONS!

building a bird box is easy & in fact almost any box will do - only the height & diameter of hole are critical factors - you don't want chicks to fall out, but they will need to get out at some point, so its worth some consideration as to which birds you want to attract

	Useful information
	Design
	Materials
	Siting of nestboxes

even though it is very unlikely to get any occupants before Spring, now is a good time to make & put-up a bird-box in a safe place out of the prevailing wind & direct sunlight & the reach of any 2 & 4 legged rodents - some more ideas follow

Construction details with diagrams

	House Sparrow Terrace nest box
	Small Open-fronted and Small-hole nesting birds
	Nestbox for large-hole nesting birds
	Kestrel nest box
	Barn Owl nest box
	Tawny owl nest box

get your nest boxes in position as early as possible, preferably before new year

Fix a strip of waterproof material, e.g. rubber, to act as both a seal and a hinge, or use a proper hinge and cover with a piece of roofing felt.

Secure the front of the lid using screws, or hooks and eyes.

Drill a hole in the front piece about the same distance from the top edge as the diameter of the whole, i.e. the top of a 25 mm hole needs to be about 25 mm from the top edge.

Box Size	Hole Size	Species
Small	25 mm	Blue Tits, Marsh Tits, and Coal Tits
Small	28 mm	Great Tits, Pied Flycatcher and Tree Sparrow
Small	32 mm	House Sparrows and Nuthatches
Medium	45 mm	Starling

Drill four small (3 to 5 mm diameter) drainage holes in the base, one in each corner.

Using nails, screws, or wire fit the nest box to a wall, tree, or fence. The nest box hole should not be facing the prevailing wind and rain or directly in the sun. The box should be placed about 2 m (6 to 7 feet) above ground level, and preferably out of reach of predators, such as cats.

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05:01	12:54	20:46
Huddersfield