Benefits of Installing a Bird Box in Your Garden

I was very specific about what I wanted for my Birthday from my sister and brother-in-law this year. I asked for a bird box. And they did not disappoint. My brother-in-law is a bit of a whizz at making these kinds of things, and on my birthday I was presented with a beautifully crafted bird box, ready to go up in my garden.

Believe it or not putting up a nest box in your garden is one of the most beneficial things that you can do to help local birds. Every year birds are struggling to find safe places to build nests and raise their young. Bird boxes provide the shelter and safety that birds need and come in lots of different shapes and sizes for variety of bird species.

The classic nest box that you’ll find at most retailers is a simple rectangular box with a gable roof. You have to consider which birds you are trying to attract because this will dictate what size the entrance hole should be.

Blue Tits and Coal Tits prefer 25mm entrance holes, whereas species such as House Sparrows, Great Tits and Nuthatches favour a 32mm hole. The RSPB sell a Cabin Nest Box which has a 32mm hole so is great for larger species, but you could add a 25mm nest box plate if you would prefer to restrict access to smaller birds. The RSPB also make an Apex Starling Nest Box with a 45mm nest hole for larger birds.

I’ve also added an open-fronted nest box to the garden for my resident Robin. We have tucked it away amongst the ivy because Robins prefer nesting in dense undergrowth and hedges. For birds such as Robins and Wrens the RSPB make the Apex open front nest box , Lodge open front nest box, or Brushwood open nester.

If you are lucky enough to have Swallows, House Martins or Swifts and want to provide them with a nesting site it is worth remembering that they have different needs as they nest in the eaves of buildings. The RSPB writes that ‘their numbers have been declining over the years, due to the loss of more traditional farm buildings and the increase in more modern buildings overall. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to help support these species by installing a nest box or cup that sits under the eaves of your house.’¹

The RSPB sell a House Martin nest cup, Swallow nest cup and Swift nest box for these birds which have been made to replicate their natural habitats. Swift Conservation provide loads of really useful information about what you can do to support Swifts, including installing a Swift Brick.

Birds prefer somewhere comfortable, safe, and secure to nest so where you position your bird box is really important.

Position away from bird feeders as the activity here can be disturbing for nesting birds. Ensure that the bird box is not in direct sunlight and is fairly protected from the weather. I placed mine in directions facing between north and east for this.

Boxes need to be between 3-5 metres from the ground and the bird will need a clear flight path to enter the box. Swift boxes must be at least 5 metres high with a 5-metre clearance in front of the box.

Open-fronted nest boxes need to be placed somewhere hidden, preferably on a fence or wall with lots of greenery and creeping plants to keep it slightly concealed.

The RSPB recommend putting up your nest box in Autumn so that the birds can get used to it, and shelter in it over winter if they wish to. I only put mine up about a month ago and have already attracted a pair of Blue Tits, which is very exciting.

1. ‘When should you put up a nest box? And our top nest box tips’, RSPB, https://shopping.rspb.org.uk/page/top-nest-box-tips, [viewed April 2025] ↩︎