Many birds nest in holes. But modern forestry methods, and safety concerns in towns, mean that there are fewer old trees with hollows where birds can make their nests. And compared with older buildings, new houses are less likely to have spaces in or around their roofs, where birds like Common Swifts and House Sparrows can raise their young.
Nest-boxes are excellent substitutes, and more than 60 bird species are known to have used them. Regular residents include Blue, Great and Coal Tits, Eurasian Nuthatches, House and Tree Sparrows, Starlings, Spotted and Pied flycatchers, Robins, House Martins, Common Swifts, Common Kestrels and Tawny Owls.
The links below will take you to instructions for building different kinds of nest-box for different kinds of bird.
- Small birds - from tits to woodpeckers
- Nestboxes for the roof - sparrows, starlings and swifts
- Boxes for owls and kestrels
Other Themes
How to be a good Birdwatcher
HOW TO BE A GOOD BIRDWATCHER
Our top 10 tips on how to be a good birdwatcher
Let's get to know our favourite neighbours
SWALLOWS OF MY NEIGHBOURHOOD
Barn Swallows are one of the most popular and familiar birds in the world. Let's meet them! :)
I FOUND A BABY BIRD! WHAT SHOULD I DO?
I FOUND A BABY BIRD! WHAT SHOULD I DO?
We see a baby bird on the ground and we think it is alone, helpless, small, cold, clumsy and fluffy… it is hard to resist the urge to rescue. But often people intervene when in fact most chicks are "fledglings" that should be left alone.
Птушкі перажываюць нялёгкія часы. Дарэчы, пачуць самую звычайную зязюлю сучасныя дзеці маюць менш ма
ПАГРОЗЫ І НЕБЯСПЕКІ НА ШЛЯХУ ПЕРАЛЁТНЫХ ПТУШАК.
Птушкі перажываюць нялёгкія часы. Дарэчы, пачуць самую звычайную зязюлю сучасныя дзеці маюць менш магчымасці, чым мелі іх бацькі, і ўжо тым больш дзядулі і бабулі.
FEEDING BIRDS WHEN THERE IS SHORTAGE OF FOOD
FEEDING BIRDS WHEN THERE IS SHORTAGE OF FOOD
By putting out the right food at the right time of year, you can help your local birds get through times when natural food is short, and be fit and ready to breed in the spring.
BIRD-FRIENDLY GARDEN/BALCONY
BIRD-FRIENDLY GARDEN/BALCONY
Make Spring come Alive in your garden or balcony each year!
CAMPAIGNING FOR YOUR LOCAL SITE
CAMPAIGNING FOR YOUR LOCAL SITE
Are you worried about the damage being done to a local wildlife spot, but don't know what to do about it? Maybe you have a favourite place to enjoy nature and want to make sure it's protected?
CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR BIRDS
Put simply, citizen science is scientific research conducted by people who are not professional scientists. Some of the biggest discoveries in the world have been made by people without official scientific qualifications or funding.
CLEANING SURROUNDINGS OF STORK'S NESTS
CLEANING SURROUNDINGS OF STORK'S NESTS
When storks are gathering materials for their nests, they may bring back various man-made objects, without realizing that they may be dangerous.
Other Spring Alive websites
- International
- Albania
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Burkina Faso
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- España
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Ireland (English)
- Ireland (Gaelic)
- Ivory Coast
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Latvija
- Lebanon
- Luxembourg English
- Luxemburg de
- Macedonia
- Malta (English)
- Mauritania
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Polska
- Romania
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- South Africa (Affikaans)
- South Africa (English)
- Uzbekistan
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe