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This time of year is ideal for putting up a bird box in your garden. In fact the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has an annual event that is launched on Valentine’s Day - 14 February - to encourage as many people as possible to put up nesting boxes to help protect small wild birds such as tits, robins, wrens, and nuthatches. Since the first such event in 1997, many people have taken part and it is estimated that nearly 6 million bird boxes have been put up in gardens across the UK.
This year the BTO are concentrating on the house sparrow, formally one of our most common urban birds, which is now finding it increasingly difficult to gain access to its traditional nesting sites under the eaves of buildings.
Coal tit eating from a bird feeder
Why put up a bird box?
Many of the natural nesting places for our favourite garden birds are disappearing every year as holes in houses are filled and woods and hedges are trimmed and cleared. By putting up a nest box in your garden, you can not only help the valuable conservation work of the BTO but also get pleasure from seeing wild birds set up home.
 If you put up a bird box during National Nest Box Week you stand a good chance of having a nesting pair of song birds in your garden by spring, such as robins, blue tits, sparrows, coal tits, blackbirds, and wrens.
As long as you approach quietly and carefully, it should not disturb the nesting birds if you look into the bird box now and again to check on the progress of the brood. It really can be an exciting time feeling that you are helping wildlife, and whether you are a keen gardener, bird lover, or a family with school age children, you are sure to find the whole experience of bird conservation interesting and educational.
How can I get a bird box?
You can buy a range of attractive and fun bird boxes from Funky Bird Box, a small manufacturer based in Newport, just south of Cambridge. Not only is their range of boxes distinctive and fun for kids, but they are easy to put up and have been designed carefully around the needs of garden birds.
Click these links for more information:
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