Nest box

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Image:Birdhouse aka.jpg

Typical nest box

A nest box (or nestbox also called birdhouse) is a man-made box provided for animals to nest in. Nest boxes are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, but certain species of mammal may also use them.

Boxes are usually wooden, though some for birds are made from mixtures of wood and concrete, called woodcrete. Metal nest boxes are also marketed, but these are generally unsuitable for outdoor use, as they can overheat easily in sunshine.

The majority are cuboid, and many have a sloping roof. Many have a hinged top to provide access for cleaning, bird ringing or, when used for domesticated species, to give the breeder access to the young. Boxes may either have an entrance hole or be open fronted. Some nest boxes can be highly decorated and complex. Designs mimicking human house design or other structures are common in some gardens.

Image:Bird box@Bird feeding station@Tortworth Court.JPG

Multiple nest box and feeding station at Tortworth Court

1 Birds
2 Bats
3 Other creatures
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Birds

The size of a nest box should be suited for the guest inside it. Quite large boxes are used for ducks and owls.

Nest boxes for wild birds should be cleaned annually to remove old nests and kill parasites. The nest boxes of domestic birds and other animals should be removed and cleaned after the breeding season is over and no more young are expected. Budgerigars and other birds raised domestically will not usually mate unless a nest box is present.

[edit] Bats

Image:IMG 1032.jpg

A typical bat house affixed to a tree trunk.

Bats houses are becoming popular sources of natural mosquito and insect control. A single bat can eat 500 to 1,000 mosquitoes a night ^[1] as well as numerous garden pests.^[2] Directions for making the open bottom bat houses for small and large colonies,^[3]^[4] as well as locations to purchase them are available on the internet.^[5] Bat houses are an ecologically friendly way of controlling mosquitoes as pesticides mostly kill the mosquito's predators rather than mosquitoes.^[4]

[edit] Other creatures

Nest boxes are marketed not only for birds but also for bats, some other mammals and bees. Depending on the animal, these boxes are used for roosting, breeding, or both. Most small mammals will use a nest box for raising young if one is provided.

Image:Iso linnunpontto.jpg

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Dogs will also use a nest box to raise a litter. Usually this is simply a large wooden or cardboard box with the front cut down enough to permit the dam to enter and exit the box but not allow the puppies to exit. These nest boxes intended for dogs are known as whelping boxes. Whelping boxes often have a board inserted horizontally on all sides to prevent the puppies from being accidentally suffocated by the mother when she lies down to feed.