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Cleaning Your Nest Box

When the breeding season is over old nests can be removed and the box cleaned out. Bird protection law permits the cleaning out of nests between 1 August and 31 January. Any dead eggs must be destroyed promptly and cannot be kept or sold.

Some hole nesting species, including sparrows, may have second or third broods in the same nest. The nests of these species should be left until sometime during the autumn when it is certain that they are no longer in use.
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Hygiene

When cleaning out nest boxes it is advisable to wear surgical gloves and a dust mask. Old nests may harbour a variety of organisms, mostly fungi growing on damp nest material, anf these may cause respiratory diseases. Nests are also home to a variety of parasites such as fleas, lice and ticks. It is best, therefore, when removing the old nest to put this straight into a plastic bag and seal it before disposal.

 


If you can't find the information you're seeking about nest boxes on this site, try looking on the Questions & Answers page by clicking on the question mark above.
 

National Nest Box Week is organised by the BTO and sponsored by Jacobi Jayne & Co.
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