When the days get shorter and there is no more work to do outside, you can still enrich your garden. Dark autumn days are ideal for building a nesting box. Contrary to many assumptions, you should immediately hang it outside. On this page you can read why it makes sense to install a nesting box in October.
When should you hang a nesting box?
Nest boxes are best hung in autumn as they provide birds and other animals with protection from the cold and as winter quarters. In addition, birds can start building nests as early as mid-February, when the first rays of sunshine appear.
Don’t wait until spring
If you hang up your nesting box in the fall, you are definitely on the safe side. If the first rays of sunshine of the year come early, the insects also crawl out of their shelters prematurely. The better food supply causes the birds to become active and start building nests as early as mid-February.
The nesting box as winter quarters
In addition, a nesting box not only serves as a breeding site, but also offers numerous animal species protection from the cold in winter. It's not just birds that overwinter in the houses provided. Sometimes you also meet watch
- Squirrel
- Insects such as bumblebees
- Bats
- Hazel mice
- Butterflies
- or dormice
It is therefore important, especially in winter, to offer a nesting box as a shelter. Otherwise, many animals are exposed to the bitter cold without protection.
Tip
If your nesting box is to serve as winter quarters, it is also important to ensure there is an adequate supply of food. Hang suet balls (€19.00 on Amazon) in a nearby tree or set up an additional bird feeder. You can leave this support available all year round. Once the birds have gotten used to being cared for, they rely on your help even in summer.
Cleaning the nesting box
Twice a year you should clean your nesting box and remove old nests. However, you must not disturb the animals while they are breeding. The optimal times are late summer, before the animals move into their winter quarters, and February or March, before they start building their nests.
