Unfortunately, we live in an environment which is lacking in natural nesting sites for birds and other cavity and hole-nesting animals. Thankfully, nest boxes can help to maintain and even increase the numbers of some species.

Nest boxes are also a fantastic way of attracting new species of birds into your garden.

It can be incredibly rewarding to watch a bird find your nest box, build its nest, feed their young and then finally see the young emerge for the first time.

Choosing the right place to site your nest box is incredibly important to both the likelihood of it being used and the health and welfare of the birds inside. 

Try to steer clear of areas in continual direct sunlight so avoiding a south facing position is key. It is also best to stay away from west-facing aspects which are likely to get blasted by wind and rain.

Where should you place your nest box then? The ideal position would be in a sheltered north or north-easterly aspect. The nest box should be at least 1.5 metres above the ground and ideally you want to place the nest box on a tree or wall with good cover around/close to the box. Open-fronted nest boxes must be tucked well into foliage so that they are not obvious to predators.