National Nest Box Week is again, supplying you with the possibility to become involved with chicken conservation in your native neighbourhood and assist nationwide efforts to spice up chicken populations throughout the UK.
As our gardens and parklands change into tidier, pure nest websites – reminiscent of holes in bushes, old buildings and unkempt hedgerows – are quickly disappearing. With birds reminiscent of sparrows, greenfinches and swifts in precipitous decline, the UK’s birds want our assist now greater than ever.
The RSBP lately discovered that 1 in 4 species are below critical risk, and so caring for our feathered mates by feeding, offering water and placing up nest packing containers to offer them a secure area to lift chicks, has by no means been extra necessary.
It’s simple to become involved, whether or not you’re a instructor, a part of an area wildlife group, or concerned about boosting chicken numbers in your backyard. See our round-up of nest packing containers for inspiration, or build one your self by becoming a member of a workshop or following our step-by-step the way to build a nest field.
How to participate in National Nest Box Week
Simply put up a chicken nest in your backyard! Find out the place to place up a nest field and which type to place up at Nest Box Week.
Do you intend to participate? Tag us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and embody #nationalnestboxweek.
How to draw birds to a nest field
Watching backyard birds utilizing nest packing containers can deliver loads of pleasure, however we’ve a accountability to ensure they’re match for his or her supposed function and hardy sufficient to offer child birds a preventing likelihood at life. And with species reminiscent of home sparrows and starlings in decline, each little helps.
Here are some easy ideas from the RSPB to comply with for those who’re contemplating shopping for or making your individual nest field.
Nest packing containers ought to:
- Be strong – they’re out in all climate and have to be robust and match for function.
- Be waterproof – they have to be handled with a water-based preservative.
- Have the right hole-size – if too massive predators will simply get inside and rain/wind will get into the field.
- Be secure – no harmful sharp edges, protruding nails or staples or pointless fixtures or small gaps which can hurt or lure birds.
- Have good insulation – wooden or woodstone is often the perfect materials.
- Have no perches.
Nest packing containers mustn’t:
- Be brightly colored – the extra inconspicuous the higher.
- Be constituted of flimsy materials – many packing containers crumble when any weight is put inside.
- Be too shallow – young birds might depart prematurely by falling out.
- Be too deep – young birds might have issues getting out when they’re prepared.
- Be too clean on the within – slippery materials will even make it tough for young birds to get out.
- Have gaps – rain and chilly air will get in and trigger young birds to get chilly and damp.
Ben Andrew, RSPB Wildlife Advisor, stated: “Rather than choosing unusual designs and materials, people should stick to traditional, wooden nest boxes; they really are the best and often the most cost effective. It’s also really important to make sure boxes are sited in the correct place. This depends on the species the box is intended for but there’s lots of information on our website.”
How large ought to the opening in my nestbox be?
If you loved participating in National Nest Box Week then why not strive the Big Garden Birdwatch subsequent January?
