Build a bird box
Give birds a cosy place to rest and breed by building them a cosy nest box. Having plenty of safe places to nest will encourage birds to return to your garden year after year.
Making your own bird box is an excellent substitute for a tree hole, and you can get as creative as you like with the design.
Follow our guide on how to make a bird box and where to place it. This one can be a little tricky, so be sure to ask an adult to help you.
You can install any bird box for this challenge, but the instructions here are for a House Sparrow box which is on the smaller side. We have instructions for making nestboxes for lots of different garden birds, and a guide to making a Swift box for these graceful summer visitors.
Nestboxes are best put up during the autumn. Many birds will enter nestboxes during the autumn and winter, looking for a suitable place to roost or perhaps to feed. They often use the same boxes for nesting the following spring.
Don’t worry if birds don't move in right away – it may take a while for a family to take residence. But be ready when they do. Hopefully, before long, you’ll notice some activity, like males chirping nearby, or even from the roof of the box.
If you’re short on time or DIY skills you can buy a House Sparrow nestbox. (You can also buy other nestboxes for a range of garden birds.) You could also paint your nestbox and make it your own with a pattern or design.
Follow the instructions carefully and you should have a box that could be home to a brood of baby birds.
Instructions
Are you a teacher?
This activity is about building a home for birds and giving them a place to stay in your school grounds.
Get them thinking
Here are some prompts to help with learning:
- What do you need to consider about the materials you use?
- How can you try to ensure the birds will thrive in their new home?
What do I do?
You could make a nestbox, using our how-to guide in the What You'll Need tab.
You could even buy a nestbox and simply put it up.
Put your nestbox in a suitable site. Work with the children to decide on the best location. The nestbox should be about 2.5-5m off the ground. It’s best to angle it forward slightly so that rain can’t fall into it. Once the box is up don't disturb it, watch from a distance and see if you get any visitors.
Did you know: that the record number of birds found in one box is 63 Wrens. They are very small, but that's still a lot of Wrens.
Find the right location
Find the right bird-friendly spot for your box. Ideally, it will be under the eaves of your house (where the walls meet the roof) or high on a wall, well away from curious cats or foxes. Make sure you get permission if you need it.
The box will need to be at least 3 metres (10 feet) from the ground, facing somewhere between north and east to avoid it getting too hot or wet. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight and don't put it over a doorway or well-used path.
Make sure that the birds have a clear flight path to the nest without any clutter directly in front of the entrance. Tilt the box forward slightly so that any driving rain will hit the roof and bounce clear.
Please note that if the box is going to be placed in a location where it will be exposed to heavy rain, it would be useful to cover the top of the lid with recycled leather or rubber. This will provide further waterproofing and extend the service life of the box.
