The Bigg Bird Forum

[mark smyth]

It's up to everyone, across Europe, who is interested in birds to help stop the decline of this fascinating bird. All you need to do is create a small colony on your house. You really need to have a two storey house but a bungalow gable is high enough especially if there is a free access in and out. Unfortunately due to the recession the best boxes made by Schwegler are too expensive. The cheapest boxes are those you make yourself or ask someone else to make. They will last longer if you use marine plywood. A marine ply box will cost £10 to £15. If you have a local wood yard they will cut the wood to size for you. You should have at least three nests available

An ideal size is about 40cm x 16.6cm x 16.5cm 16x7x7 inches.

Ask your wood yard to cut you the follow
top and base 40x16.5cm
back 40x16.5cm
front 40x16.5cm
sides 14x17cm

The wood yard can cut the sizes larger to allow you to make a three or four chambered nest box either in a line or two above the other

This means the top and base stick out 1.5cm - the thickness of the wood. The front then sits very tight between the top and base and can be held in place with screws or hooks and eyes.

The front entrance for the birds needs to be no more than 33x65cm. The sides of the hole can be rounded to straight. Position it about 3cm up from the base and about the same from the side

If you want to add a camera drill a small hole to take the cable out

You then need a CD of swifts duetting to draw your swifts in unless you are as lucky as Phil.

Here are some home made boxes

swift nest box
Poster: mark smyth, viewed 6 Time(s)

swift nest box
Poster: mark smyth, viewed 4 Time(s)

swift nest box
Poster: mark smyth, viewed 9 Time(s)

swift nest box
Poster: mark smyth, viewed 10 Time(s)

swift nest box
Poster: mark smyth, viewed 6 Time(s)

swift nest box
Poster: mark smyth, viewed 8 Time(s)

You have 9 months to start your project. Please get involved

[Peter]

I do have swifts screaming around us on many summer evenings - if they have never used a property before do you think that they will really find these boxes?

[mark smyth]

Of course they will come. All you need are nest boxes and a PA system

[donalo]

Mark, I would like to try this for next year.

What are the chances the Swifts would find it without the PA system?

I very rarely see Swifts flying low (low as in the height of a 2 storey house) around the area.

Do you just simply drill into the wall and attach with rawl plugs/screws?

[mark smyth]

Over time the swifts will find a nest site especially the single nests here and there in housing estates. By playing the CD you reduce the time to one or two years. If swifts are in your area and they hear the calls on the Cd they will come down for a look

I've said before Phil was extremely lucky to pull in two pairs in a year

[Peter]

When you state that you need a CD, do you think that they like any particular music? What about something by Tayor Swift?