[for a wider range of DIY designs, see here] Contributed by Bob Tonks. Part 1 of 2: Cutting the Wood 1. Screech Owl or American Kestrel Nest Box. Alternative Bluebird Nest Box. They can also kill a swallow if they trap the swallow inside the bird house. House Sparrows love nest boxes. How to Make a Sparrow Nestbox. Robins, phoebes, mourning doves and blue jays may nest on this platform. Purchase a plank. Artificial nests for Barn Swallows Updated 6/2/2001 Finally enough data is in on the usage of artificial nests in our colony to begin making and offering the nests for sale. Leave the nest alone until the swallows have raised their young. House sparrows are a type of songbird that is very common in North America. How to Make a Sparrow Nestbox. Feeding Wild Birds. House Sparrows are very aggressive and often out compete swallows for a nest box. Floors recessed to minimize interior wetness. A Swallow Nest should be sited inside a building which allows easy access for the birds via an open door or window, such as a garage or outhouse. If swallows have built nests in undesirable locations under the eaves of your roof or patio, work in concert with, rather than against Mother Nature. Then relax and enjoy the birds. Nesting sites for swifts are in decline. Help swifts by making a nest box to put under your house eaves, with advice from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Barn swallows, mourning doves, cardinals and blue jays will also use nesting platforms too. If are going to make or purchase a nestbox, you can select one specifically designed for the species of bird you want to attract. This is my favorite plan for a bluebird nest box. Violet-green Swallows benefit from a "fledgling ladder" inside the nest box, under the entrance hole. Clean the nest box out once the swallows are finished. It is important to note that other Tree Swallow/bluebird nest box designs such as the Peterson Box work equally well. Nestbox Specifications . How to make internal nest cups for all swift boxes. DIY Swallow Nest Box . Roof should slope down and overlap sides and fronts to reduce exposure to rain and make it harder for predators to reach inside. A set of nest box plans is provided at the end of this fact sheet. Act humanely. To comply with the law, remove swallow nests after the swallows have departed on their migratory journey south. The whole thing is assembled from a single plank, and straight saw-cuts. ... Steps. Many “bluebirders” remove old nesting material from a nest box right after the young have fledged; this task can be repeated several times during the nesting season. The rough surface provides a purchase for the young swallows when they are ready to leave the nest box and for the adults in their hundreds of visits to the box. Understanding these birds' unique needs is the key to learning how to attract swallows and enjoy the benefits of having these beauties in your yard. If competition with bluebirds arises over nest boxes, place another box nearby (20–25' away) for the bluebird. Due to the swallows' great preference for these nests over shelves and apparently even over natural nests, I have discontinued making the various nesting shelves. Leave the nest alone until the swallows have raised their young. ... "Super plans for me to build a nesting box. Metal hinge fastened to top panel, allows top to swing open for easy checking of box contents and cleaning. One excellent way to help native cavity-nesting birds survive and thrive is to put up a nestbox(es). Make sure you also install a metal guard that reduces the size of the hole so bluebirds do not attempt to enter the box. The simplest DIY Swift nest-box If you are carpentarily challenged, but would like to make your own Swift boxes, then here are some simple ideas. Roof should slope down and overlap sides and fronts to reduce exposure to rain and make it harder for predators to reach inside. One way to help make the nesting season more successful is by providing suitable bird houses or nesting boxes and, in some cases, nesting … RA Rashmi Agrawal. They have even been known to nest in mail boxes. Act humanely. At the end of the nesting season, clean out the nest box one last time and make any needed repairs. A DIY from actor, John Ratzenberger. Making Nest Boxes Sparrow Resistant By Lee Pauser lee@birdsfly.info San Jose, CA 95120 September 17, 2014 Introduction After discovering a pair of House Sparrows nesting in one of my bluebird nest boxes some years ago, I searched the Internet for information on how to make a nest box … Swallows readily nest in properly built and placed nest boxes. Tree Swallows benefit from a "fledgling ladder" inside the nest box, under the entrance hole. Nails or screws may be used for assembly--nails are a lot cheaper, but screws last better and make modifications of the box or … In the Zeist box the nest cup is slightly smaller than it is in the twin compartment box. Tree Swallows will do well in areas with high unmowed grass, preferably near water.