Thickness of bird box

Bellfamily · #1 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 05:04 PM

Hi
Is there a maximum thickness of wood that should be used to make a blue tit nesting box? My hubby (fed up with my nagging

) has finally started to make some from scrap bits of wood and we have looked at online templates and there is always mention of a minimum thickness.

I am concerned as the piece of wood he has used for the front with the hole in, is quite thick - is this a problem do you think?
Many thanks

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 05:18 PM

As long its only a couple of inches its fine. A thick box is better than a thin one in some respects. It is harder for predators to get in and offers more shelter over winter. Box positioning and hole size is more important.

rossy · #3 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 05:27 PM

just think in the wild , the tits nest in trees and how thick they can be, as doghound as put , hole size, and positioning is more important, rossy.

toolbox · #4 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 05:31 PM

I just measured one I've got and I noticed the entrance hole is wider on the outside than in, I guess this is to try and stop sparrows getting in as I have seen them stuck before.

Bellfamily · #5 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 05:47 PM

Thanks for the reassurance, would hate to have told him he had to take it apart, LOL!

SheffieldLass · #6 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 10:48 PM

What is the minimum thickness mentioned?

A few years ago I knew a BTO guy who was doing some research - he bought about 100 boxes, from two different suppliers. One was of thinner ply than the other, and the boxes with the thinner ply were not used by the birds, so a big waste of money ... He assumed it was because they did not provide enough insulation and were more vulnerable to predators.

SheffieldLass · #7 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 11:06 PM

Oh, and also if you put a metal plate over the entrance hole don't fit the blue tit size one, fit the great tit/sparrow size. My pair of blue tits were very keen on the look of my box. I had fitted the blue tit size plate. One was just able to get through, but with great difficulty, losing quite a few feathers. The other couldn't at all. He must have been a well-built individual

. So I quickly changed it for the great tit size, and they were in and out no problem, and went on to nest there.

Dogghound · #8 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 08:28 AM

Probably depends on the size of the hole in the plate. You should be looking at about 25mm for blue tit, both Poecile tits and coal tit, 28mm for great tit and tree sparrow, 32mm house sparrow.

Elizabeth B · #9 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Probably depends on the size of the hole in the plate. You should be looking at about 25mm for blue tit, both Poecile tits and coal tit, 28mm for great tit and tree sparrow, 32mm house sparrow.

These are the figures given by the RSPB - but we have found them too small. We use 28mm for bluetits and 32mm for great tits.

Dogghound · #10 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 08:48 AM

I didnt get these from the RSPB, although they may use similar. Ive used these before and they have worked. Although to be honest havent made tit holes for ages, only tree sparrow boxes lately. Which I use a larger hole size as no house sparrows exist at the sites and this tends to put of smaller birds.