You may not have realised it but there is a National Nest Box Week. Overseen by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), National Nest Box Week has been a feature of the calendar for 19 years. It aims to solve a housing crisis of the avian variety!
National Nest Week runs from 14 to 21 February each year and, if you appreciate wild birds, you should try to get involved.
Conservation and Biodiversity
The BTO use National nest box Week to encourage everyone to erect bird roosting boxes in their local area. This promotes the conservation of our native wildlife and improves biodiversity. You have the opportunity to contribute to the conservation effort whilst having the pleasure of watching the wonderful birds that you attract to your garden or local environment. This special week represents an excellent way to introduce children to bird watching and the joy of nature.
Projects Large and Small
It doesn't matter whether your garden is large or small, there will always be room for a nest box. In fact, you can even get involved if you don't have a garden at all. Why not organise a group to put up in your area for everyone to enjoy? Perhaps you already belong to a bird watching group with members who would be interested in a new project.
DIY or ready-Made Bird Roosting Boxes
You can make your own nest boxes and this would be a fabulous enterprise for youngsters to get involved with. But you can also purchase the bird roosting boxing that you need and in a variety of pleasing styles. You are able to create new homes for a wide variety of species from barn owls to Blue Tits and you can ensure that you choose or fashion a nest box of the right size by seeking advice from the BTO and RSPB websites.
Safe Homes
The nest boxes can be mounted almost anyway to provide a safe and dry home for birds to live in and to breed. They offer a great alternative to the natural holes in old structures and trees which have been vanishing from the landscape as gardens and old houses are tidied up.
You can register online with the BTO for a free National Nest Box Week information pack. The BTO would be delighted to hear about what you see when your nest box is in place.