National Nest Box Week

Ready to get ahead of the breeding season? Now’s the perfect time. During National Nest Box Week, enjoy generous savings on our high-quality nest boxes, save up to 15%, and help create much-needed nesting spaces for the next generation of garden birds.

If you already have a nest box in place, it’s worth checking it regularly. A well-made box can last for many years, but only if the materials remain sound and it’s kept clean and secure. A nest box should be replaced as soon as it’s no longer safe, stable or hygienic.

It’s time for a new nest box if:

• The wood is rotten or cracked (allowing moisture inside).
• The entrance hole is worn or enlarged (increasing predator risk).
• Screws, roof or fixings have become loose.
• Mould keeps returning despite cleaning.
• There is evidence of parasites (e.g. mites).
• The box is 5-10 years old and shows clear signs of wear.

A safe, dry nesting site can make all the difference to breeding success. If in doubt, it’s always better to replace a box in good time, helping to ensure healthy chicks next season.

The breeding season is demanding for garden birds. Support them when it matters most with our multi-buy offers on bird food, carefully selected to provide vital energy before nesting begins, throughout chick rearing, and as young birds fledge.

Artificial nests help birds find a suitable place to raise their young. But before choosing a nest box, we recommend that you spend some time identifying which birds visit your garden most often. Depending on which bird species you find, its best to choose a nest box design that is going to suit them best.

Across our range you will find a variety of nest boxes, which all vary in material and size, to help accommodate the needs of different bird species. The size of the entrance hole is a very important factor for example, as every size is not suitable for every bird. When choosing a nest box, the following guidelines can be used to give your garden birds the right home.

These top tips have been designed to help you find the right place for your nest box, so that it will be quickly inhabited by local birdlife.

• It’s important to choose a quiet place that is difficult for cats and other nest predators to access! (Minimum height is 1.5 to 2 metres)
• Make sure that the nest box is installed in a place that is protected from wind, rain and sun! (Entrance hole oriented as far as possible to the east or northeast)
• If you hang your nest box near bushes, you will be helping young birds when they make their first attempts to fly
• Nest boxes with open fronts (half-caves, half-open nesting boxes) offer less protection than closed nesting boxes and should therefore be hung in a sheltered location (e.g. between dense ivy)
• To attach the nest box to a tree trunk, it is best to use an aluminium nail so you don’t damage the tree