Cleaning the nest boxes is an important task that should be carried out in one's garden every year. This allows you to ensure that the feathered residents stay he althy with little effort.

Mostly nesting boxes are attached to trees

If a nest box is uninhabited, it is important to remove the old nest and clean the box before the next animals nest. This article tells you how to do this and why this is best done annually.

Do you have to clean nest boxes?

There are two strong reasons for cleaning the nest box:

  • On the one hand, the old, abandoned nest is not disposed of by the animals themselves, instead the next inhabitants simply build their new breeding ground on it. This keeps the next brood closer to the entrance hole, making it easier for predators to hunt.
  • On the other hand, in addition to dirt, there are always parasites and pathogens in the nest box, which can endanger the brood in the coming year.
Even cats lurk at nest boxes to get their prey

When should you clean nest boxes?

Nest boxes should always be cleaned between broods. However, in winter the box can also be used by other guests such as bats, dormice, dormouse and certain insects. Therefore, good times to clean the nest boxes are either between mid-September and mid-October, before animal visitors settle in to hibernate, or in early spring, after the hibernating animals have moved out.

Tip: To make your nesting box particularly attractive and to help the next occupants find food, you can place bird seed near the box. However, a certain distance should be maintained so that the hustle and bustle of the feeding station does not disturb the breeders. Such feed is rich in protein and also contains small seeds, which are well eaten by young birds. For example, our Plantura all-season feed in premium quality has these well-suited seeds. It can be laid out regardless of the season.

This is how you do theCleaning nest boxes in front of

Before you even remove the nesting box, you should definitely observe for a while in advance whether no more animals are coming in and out. If this is impossible, give the box another gentle knock as a pre-warning as you remove the box. If there are still occupants in your nest box, it is advisable to leave the animal undisturbed and carry out the cleaning at a later time.
Cleaning of the nest box should be done outdoors to prevent vermin from entering being dragged into the house. It is advisable to wear gloves and possibly even a face mask when cleaning to avoid inhaling the dust and potential pathogens. If there is a dead bird in the nest box, it should be removed along with the nest and disposed of with household waste.

  • Remove old nest: After opening the nest box, the old nest can be removed in its entirety.
  • Sweep out the remaining dirt: Use a hand broom to sweep out the remaining parts and the dirt. Also note the corners and side walls.
  • Rinse with water: This step only has to be carried out if there is a noticeable parasite infestation, heavy soiling or if a dead bird is found. Rinsing with warm water or, if necessary, with a little soda lye is completely sufficient. Never use chemical cleaning agents or disinfectants. These can harm the animals. The nest box must then dry well.
  • Reattach the nest box: Reattach the nest box to the tree at a height of 2 to 3 meters and facing east. This protects the birds from strong weather conditions and from predators such as cats and martens.
The nest box should be cleaned once a year

Tip: Not only the nesting box, but also the aviary can become a place of spread of diseases. The correct and regular cleaning of the aviary is therefore also of great importance.

Nest boxes come in a variety of designs, including cave nest boxes, semi-cave nest boxes and swift nest boxes. They differ mainly in the diameter of the entrance hole and in the dimensions of the box. This allows them to orientate themselves on which bird builds which nest. Some also have special features: for example, the nests of swallows and swifts do not have to be removed. These species of birds use theirsNamely nests again and even improve them.

If you want to provide even more nesting opportunities in your garden, you can also build a nesting box yourself. We explain everything that needs to be considered in our article.

Category:

Hedgehog, Squirrel & Co.