Nest Box Plan

Building your own nest box is very rewarding, especially when a pair of birds later rear a family in it.

The standard "tit" box is quite straightforward to build and a plan and summary instructions are available.

Instructions

1. Cut the pieces from a plank of plywood or floorboard (10 mm thick).
    
2. Nail the bottom of the side pieces to opposite side edges of the base.
    
3. Nail the back piece to the longest edges of the side pieces and the back edge of the base.
    
4. Nail the front piece to the shortest edges of the side pieces and to the front edge of the base.
    
5. The back edge of the lid needs to fit tightly against the back piece. This can be achieved by one of the following methods:
    
   • Rebate, i.e. cut a groove, into the back piece which will allow the back edge of the lid to fit in.
   • Fix a strip of waterproof material, e.g. rubber, to act as both a seal and a hinge, or use a proper hinge and cover with a piece of roofing felt.
      
6. Secure the front of the lid using screws, or hooks and eyes.
    
7. Drill a hole in the front piece about the same distance from the top edge as the diameter of the whole, i.e. the top of a 25 mm hole needs to be about 25 mm from the top edge.
   
   

   Box Size	Hole Size	Species
   Small	25 mm	Blue Tits, Marsh Tits, and Coal Tits
   Small	28 mm	Great Tits, Pied Flycatcher and Tree Sparrow
   Small	32 mm	House Sparrows and Nuthatches
   Medium	45 mm	Starling

   Drill four small (3 to 5 mm diameter) drainage holes in the base, one in each corner.
   
   

8. Using nails, screws, or wire fit the nest box to a wall, tree, or fence. The nest box hole should not be facing the prevailing wind and rain or directly in the sun. The box should be placed about 2 m (6 to 7 feet) above ground level, and preferably out of reach of predators, such as cats.

If woodpeckers or squirrels are likely to be a problem, a metal plate can be fitted around the hole to stop them gnawing or chiselling the hole bigger.

N.B. Measurements for the box are approximate as they depend partly on the thickness of the wood that you use.