National Nest Box Week begins
“By collecting information on nesting attempts we are able to keep track of how successful bird breeding is each year and how this is affecting populations” – Hazel McCambridge.
The public are being asked to put up nest boxes and monitor the birds using them as this year’s National Nest Box Week begins.
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is among the organisations supporting the event, which begins every year on Valentine’s Day at a time when many birds are beginning to pair up to breed.
With the loss of traditional habitats for nests contributing to a decline in the populations of many British bird species, the BTO is emphasising that nest boxes are an easy and important method for people to help wildlife.
Garden birds such as the house sparrow, greenfinch, and starling are among those currently on the Red List for Birds of Conservation Concern.
The BTO also runs a nest monitoring scheme, Nesting Neighbours, which collects information from the public on breeding birds.
Members of the public can submit information online about nests in their local park or garden, including in nest boxes. They are asked to check the nest once a week and the findings are added to the project’s database which is used to aid conservation efforts.
Those taking part in Nesting Neighbours are expected to follow a code of conduct to avoid impacting the health and wellbeing of the birds being monitored.
Hazel McCambridge, the Nesting Neighbours survey organiser, said: “It really benefits our garden birds to put up boxes to provide them spaces to nest, particularly in urban and suburban areas where nest sites are very limited; by collecting information on nesting attempts we are able to keep track of how successful bird breeding is each year and how this is affecting populations. This provides an important puzzle piece in understanding how habitat and climate change is impacting Britain's birds.”
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