The Official Home of National Nestbox Week
Making more homes for Britain’s birds since 1997
Birds needing a bigger entrance hole
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
Britain’s commonest woodpecker likes to excavate its own nesting chamber from soft-wooded deciduous trees. You can encourage them to use nestboxes putting a lump of soft wood inside, so that they can hollow out the nest cavity for themselves.
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Large nestbox with 50mm hole
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Nest height 3m-5m above ground
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No nest is made
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Egg laying starts between late April and mid June
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4 to 6 eggs, white
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Incubation time 14-16 days
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Nestlings fledge after 20-24 days
Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Starling populations have declined dramatically in recent decades – but nestboxes can help. These gregarious birds will happily nest in close proximity to their neighbours, which means you can group several boxes high on a house wall, or on adjacent trees if you have a larger garden.
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Large nestbox with 45mm hole
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Nest height at least 2.5m above ground
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Nest made of a heap of plant material, lined with feathers, moss and wool
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Egg laying starts between early April and mid June. 1 or 2 broods
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4 to 5 eggs, light blue
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Incubation time 12-15 days
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Nestlings fledge after 19-22 days
