Nest boxes for wild birds
A nest box is a purpose-built shelter for garden birds to raise a brood in, standing in for the tree holes and crevices that are increasingly scarce in most gardens and street trees. The right box depends mostly on hole size and where you can site it, more than on price or looks.
What makes a nest box work
The entrance hole size is the single most important measurement — too large and it invites predators or larger species to take over; too small and your target birds can't get in at all. A solid, weatherproof build matters more than decoration, since a box that lets water in or falls apart after one winter isn't doing its job.
Ventilation and drainage in the base are easy to overlook but genuinely matter: a box that traps damp is worse for a nesting bird than no box at all.
Siting and timing
Face the entrance away from prevailing wind and direct full sun where you can, and fix it high enough to be out of easy reach of cats and other predators. A sheltered spot on a wall, fence or tree trunk, away from busy feeders, tends to be quieter and more attractive to a nesting pair than somewhere with constant footfall.
Put boxes up well before the breeding season starts, since birds prospect for nest sites earlier than most people expect. Once occupied, leave the box alone — checking too often can be enough to make a nervous pair abandon it.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Supa Multi Purpose Nest Box
A garden nest box with a removable front panel, so it can also be used open-fronted
£12.99
Happy Pet Cozzzy Hut Nest
A soft fleecy hut nest for cage birds, clipping between the bars for a snug retreat
From£7.89
Johnston Jeff Selected Wild Bird Food
A wild bird seed mix with black oil sunflower for a wide range of garden birds
From£2.79
Peckish Complete Seed and Nut No Mess Wild Bird Seed Mix
A no-mess seed and nut mix for the garden, built from 12 ingredients for up to 16 bird species
£20.99
Peckish Natural Balance Wild Bird Seed Mix
A 1.7KG, 10-seed wild bird mix, entirely UK-sourced, in recyclable packaging
£3.99
Peckish Winter Warmer High Energy Wild Bird Seed Mix
A high-energy winter seed mix for garden birds, feeder or table
£24.99
Johnston & Jeff Premium Wild Bird - Wheat-Free with Suet
A husk-free, wheat-free wild bird mix with suet pellets for extra winter energy
£29.99
Supa Wild Bird Peanut Feeder
A 12-inch wire mesh peanut feeder, sized up to cut down on refills over winter
£5.99
Rosewood Recycled Wild Bird Seed Feeder
A 1.2 litre wild bird seed feeder that fixes to a wall, post or drainpipe
£15.00
Supa Wild Bird Feeder
A compact 7-inch wire mesh peanut feeder, a low-cost way to start feeding peanuts
£4.49
Rosewood Recycled Wild Bird Bottom Seed Feeder
25cm recycled bird seed feeder, washable, for small to medium birds
£9.00
Common questions
- When should I put up a nest box?
- Autumn or winter is the better time, giving birds the chance to find and get used to it well before the breeding season starts in spring. A box put up in late spring can still be used, but you're competing with birds that have already settled on somewhere else.
- Does hole size really matter that much?
- Yes — it's the main thing that decides which species can use the box at all, and getting it wrong either shuts out the birds you're hoping to attract or lets in something larger that may take over the site. Check the sizing on the box you're buying rather than assuming one size suits everything.
- Should I clean out a nest box each year?
- Once the breeding season has fully finished, a clean-out in autumn removes old nesting material and reduces the parasites that can build up over a season. Wear gloves, use hot water rather than chemicals, and leave the box to dry fully before putting it back up.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.