Wildlife garden

Putting up a nest box: where, when and which hole size

Put up a nest box in autumn or by February at the latest, 2 to 3 m high, with the entrance facing east or south-east, out of full sun and wind; a 28 mm hole suits blue tits, 32 mm great tits and sparrows.

Updated on 11 October 2026

What to do

Choose a box of untreated wood or woodcrete, with an overhanging roof and an entrance hole that suits the bird you want to help.
Fix it 2 to 3 m high on a tree or wall, with the entrance facing east or south-east, tilted slightly forward so rain does not get in.
Hang it out of reach of cats and not above a feeder, and space boxes for the same species at least 10 m apart.
Watch from a distance to see whether it is in use, and don’t open the box while there are young inside.
Clean the box between October and January: remove the old nest and rinse with hot water, without soap or chemicals.

Why it helps

Young gardens and new estates have few old trees with holes: hole-nesting birds such as tits, sparrows and starlings find nowhere to nest.
A box that is already up in autumn serves as a winter roost and is taken up sooner in spring.

Which plants?

Holly Ilex aquifolium Broadleaf tree · flowers May NativePoisonous
Common ivy Hedera helix Climber · flowers September–November NativePoisonous
Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Broadleaf tree · flowers May Native
Hornbeam Carpinus betulus Broadleaf tree · flowers April–May Native
Yew Taxus baccata Conifer NativePoisonous
Common honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum Climber · flowers June–September NativePoisonous

When?

October–March.

Garden jobs in January Garden jobs in February Garden jobs in March Garden jobs in October Garden jobs in November Garden jobs in December

Take up the challenge

Put up a nest box (February–March)
Hang a nest box 2 to 3 m up, with the opening facing east or south-east, out of the strong sun and wind.
Count the birds (January–February)
Count the birds in your garden for an hour, as in the bird count weekend at the end of January. Note what you saw.

Go to Challenges and badges

Did you know? A pair of great tits feeds its young more than 500 times a day, mostly with caterpillars: so tits also keep your fruit trees healthy.

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