You have built or bought a beautiful nesting box and hung it up in the garden, but unfortunately no bird takes up the home offered. Our feathered friends are quite meticulous when choosing their housing. This must not only meet certain criteria, but also be attached to a suitable location. We have summarized what you need to pay attention to in this article.
How do you install a nesting box correctly?
To install a nesting box correctly, choose a quiet, internal garden location with a height of 2-3 meters, an entrance hole facing east or south-east and at least 10 meters away from similar nesting aids. Attach the box to protect the tree using eyelets, binding wire and a garden hose, tilting it slightly forward.
Choose the right place
When selecting the location, you should consider the following points:
- Nest boxes should be placed at a height of two to three meters.
- The entry hole must not face the weather side, which in our latitudes corresponds to a western orientation, nor the blazing midday sun in the south. If the animals have to fly in from the north, too much cold penetrates into the home. It is optimal if the entrance hole faces east or south-east.
- To prevent rain from entering, the box should be tilted slightly forward.
- If you would like to attach several identical nesting aids, a minimum distance of ten meters must be maintained. An exception are nesting boxes for colony breeders such as swallows.
- Install the shelters in the fall, as the animals also like to use them for sleeping and overwintering.
Birds don't like noise
Our feathered friends are no different than us: they don't like noise from cars or a busy playground. Therefore, to install the nesting box, choose a quiet corner of the garden where all of the above points are met.
How do you hang the nesting box to protect the tree?
To ensure that trees are not damaged, you should install the nesting aid professionally. You need:
- 2 eyelets
- binding wire
- Garden hose
- If no eyelets are already attached to the nesting box, screw one in each of the top, rear corners.
- Cut a piece of binding wire. This must be long enough to reach from one eyelet around the tree to the second eyelet. Allow a few centimeters to allow you to twist the wire to attach it to the eyelets.
- Disconnect a piece of the garden hose. The tree protection should be dimensioned so that it encloses the entire tree trunk.
- Place the end of the wire around an eyelet and twist.
- Pull the wire through the hose.
- Attach to the tree so that the garden hose rests on a branch on the opposite side. This ensures stabilization of the bird home.
- Pass the second end of the wire through the second eyelet, pull the wire tight and twist.
- To protect the animals, you should install metal protection against martens, cats and woodpeckers.
Tip
To attract birds to your garden, you should provide plenty of food. Feel free to leave branches and leaves lying around, as insects hide under them. Feathers and animal hair are often used to build nests. If you find such remains, simply leave them lying around.
