5 Tips To Help Garden Birds Build A Nest

Getting garden birds to settle and nest in your garden isn't always as easy as you would think. Here at Flyte so Fancy HQ we are lucky enough to have plenty of places for birds to nest, with swallows and house martins in our barn, the swarm of sparrows who nest in our colony nest boxes and the various robins, tits and finches that call the FSF nest boxes home, so we thought we'd share some top tips on how to help wild birds build nests in your garden.

Blue Tit in the FSF Garden

• The less energy the birds expend looking for nest building and padding material, the quicker they can become settled into egg laying and rearing their brood

• Put out several wooden nest boxes with different sized holes and shapes to attract a wide range of species.

• Leave an old hanging basket out with grasses, bits of plants and natural fibres in, to make it easier for them to collect. 

• House sparrows like to collect their nest material from within a few feet of their nests. A supply of straw, dried grasses, fur and natural fibres located nearby will help encourage them to nest. 

• Blackbirds, thrushes and house martins use mud for their nests (not a problem considering the winter we have had) but if it has been dry, leave a small wet muddy patch in your garden (again not a problem considering the winter we have had) to attract them. 

Greenfinches enjoying Breakfast

Just providing these few simple materials, either in the countryside or in an urban enviroment, can help encourage wild birds into your garden and soon have them nesting and raising young ones. 

Thanks for Reading

James