New breeding season
As the days grow longer it is time to start thinking about getting bird boxes ready for the new nesting season. Whether you have a tiny green space in the city centre or a large country estate there is always room for a few bird boxes. New nest boxes should be put up by the end of March - the sooner the better, to allow prospective residents plenty of time to find them.

Choosing a bird box
There is a huge variety of general and specialist bird boxes available on today’s market. Long lasting (up to 25 years) woodcrete types such as our range of Schwegler boxes are proving to be the most popular with both birds and people. The 1B makes an excellent garden nest box for tits but there are many innovative designs including the Wren Roundhouse and the Schwegler Avianex which is suitable for mounting on a wall. There are plenty of ready-made traditional wooden boxes available too, if you prefer a more natural look, and if you are a DIY enthusiast, you can easily make your own!

Attract your favourite species
A box with a 32mm entrance hole will attract a range of the smaller garden birds. Even a small garden can fit a couple in with good results. If you have more space, a wider range of box types could be sited to cater for more specialised nesters such as open-fronted boxes for robins or flycatchers. The BTO nest box guide gives excellent advice on which box to use and where to place them for different bird species.

Spring cleaning
Now is also the time to clean out existing nest boxes. Cleaning out any old nesting material and giving the inside of the box a quick rinse with boiling water will help remove any ticks, fleas and reduce the risk of diseases being passed onto the next occupants. Allow the box to dry thoroughly before putting back up. You can add a handful of dry leaves, sawdust or hay as nesting material. So get out there and make your garden a patch of prime real estate for the local bird life!