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Taking part in Nest Box Challenge Nest Box Challenge gives you the opportunity to help us learn more about nesting birds in the UK. Anyone with access to a nest box can take part, all you need to do is register the nest box(es) in your garden or local area and record what's inside at regular intervals during the breeding season. In order to take part, you simply need to register for the Nest Box Challenge and answer a few questions about the garden or green space in which your box is sited and a bit about the box itself. You will then be able to record details of any birds you see using the box and even what you find when you look inside. The National Nest Box Week pages will help you to choose a suitable site for your box and also give advice on putting it up and maintaining it. Why are we interested in nest boxes and garden birds? As the countryside becomes more and more developed, so the nation's gardens play an increasingly important role in supporting British bird populations, providing food, shelter and nesting sites. It is therefore vital that we keep a close eye on bird populations in rural, suburban and urban areas in the same way that we would birds in woodlands and farmland, particularly as numbers of several garden bird species, such as House Sparrow and Starling, have fallen in the last few decades. Gardens are amongst the most intensively watched habitats in the country. By asking anyone with a box to monitor it for Nest Box Challenge, we can build up an incredibly detailed picture of the breeding success of hole-nesting birds across the UK. The information collected can be used to understand more about why some species are increasing while others are declining, and to help us find out whether warmer weather and the provision of food can make a difference to the number of chicks that birds are able to raise. Important things to remember are:
How to approach and look in a box Minimising disturbance to the breeding birds is obviously of utmost importance. Looking inside a box will not automatically cause the parents to desert the nest, but it is important that you take great care when doing so. If you have been watching your box from a distance and know that both the parents are away finding food or nesting material, you have an ideal opportunity to visit the nest. This may not always be possible or practical, however. If you don't know whether a bird is in the nest, then it is important to follow the guidelines below:
Unlike mammals, the majority of birds have a relatively poor sense of smell, so there is no need to worry about leaving your scent around the nest box. However, handling of eggs and chicks is illegal without the required authorisation. When to look inside your nest box To get as much information as possible about each breeding attempt, it is best to look in the nest box on several occasions, but it is important to disturb the birds as little as possible. A few well-planned visits to the nest can provide all the information that you require - there is never any need to record the number of eggs or chicks in the box more than once per day. Birds can begin nesting in a box any time from February onwards, so it is important to start your monitoring as early as possible in the year. Birds may go in and out of the boxes very quickly, so even if you haven't seen any activity, it's always worth taking a careful look. Most Blue Tits and Great Tits will begin nesting in late March or April, but different species will start nesting at different times - visit the NNBW species ID pages for more information. If you see birds flying in and out of the box, it's definitely worth having a look inside, particularly if they are carrying nesting material. Even if birds are not using your box at the start of the season, it's still worth checking once a week to make sure that it is not being used for a repeat nesting attempt. If birds are nesting in your box, looking inside it once every 4-5 days should allow you to find out how many eggs have been laid and how many chicks have been produced without causing too much disturbance. Don't give up monitoring the box when the birds have successfully left, or the nest has failed, because either the same pair or another pair of birds may try to nest again. Monitoring nests without looking inside If you are unable to look inside the box, or do not wish to do so, do not worry because you can still tell a lot about what is going on in the box just by watching it from a distance. You will need to be close enough to see what's going on at the entrance to the box, but not too close as this may prevent the birds from entering. You may even be able to watch from the comfort of your own home with the aid of a pair of binoculars. There are several signs of breeding to look out for:
What to do if the nest has been abandoned Unfortunately, not all nests are successful. Some may be abandoned by the parents or attacked by predators. If you do find what looks like an abandoned nest, you may be tempted to remove the contents in an attempt to clean the box out for other birds. However, under bird protection law, it is actually illegal to clean out nest boxes during the breeding season, from 1st February to 31st July, in case active nests are inadvertently disturbed. If you do want to clean out the box at the end of the season, wait until the autumn when you can be sure that it is no longer being used and follow the guidelines on the NNBW web pages. Remember to record the details in the Nest Box Challenge form. Letting us know what's in the box Once you have registered your nest box(es) and you have begun making observations, simply go to the Nest Box Challenge website and record your observations by answering the on-screen questions. You may find it easiest to enter your information on the same day that you've recorded it, while the details are still fresh in your mind. Please try to submit observations for every nest box that you register, even if it is only to tell us that you saw nothing in the box - this is still useful information. Even if you have a well-built nest box in a perfect location birds may still choose to nest elsewhere - do not let this put you off as it may just be that the future occupants have yet to find it! |
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Nest Box Challenge is organised by the BTO |
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