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Nest boxes are wooden structures that are built and placed on someone’s property to help give birds a home. Many birds are cavity dwellers, which means they prefer to make their homes in the holes of old trees.
Many of those trees, however, are taken down due to human expansion or for safety reasons. The result is that these birds have fewer natural nest sites in which to start their families. Nest boxes are an easy answer.
Many birds, such as owls, Kestrels, chickadees, and more are willing to use nest boxes. They imitate the natural cavities these birds would normally find in their environment.
We see nest boxes used a lot in orchards or vineyards to help barn owls establish homes so they can hunt the rodents that may otherwise destroy crops. Nest boxes can also help birds that usually have to compete with invasive species to find homes.
Nest boxes can be made yourself or bought. When looking to buy or build a nest box, make sure you research size, where to put them, and how high to install them to ensure that it’s found and used by the species you want.
If you want to provide homes for barn owls, for example, you’ll want to make sure to place it at least three meters high and make sure it’s facing the right direction to protect them from the weather.
What types of birds live around you? Have you thought about installing a nest box before? Let us know!
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