Birds not using my box

[homedeeth]

i've got a bird box nailed to my shed on my allotment. it's north facing (not that that entered my mind when i first hung it up)
it's been there for 2 years but no birds have moved in. how do i entice them into a comfy home?

[AlBags]

A TV and some carpet.

[homedeeth]

maybe i should have structured the question in a different way

[boxtops]

Does the wind blow straight in? Is it high on the wall? Are there cats in the vicinity?

[wolf63]

Could this be a problem?

http://4.bp.blogspot....cat+on+a+bird+box.jpg

boxie - http://www.theanswerb.../Question1020244.html

[icemaiden]

Don't worry. We had a box In the garden for 5 years before a family of Blue Tits used it.
Now its used every year. I think they just need time to get used to it thats all.

[ladybirder]

Have you got cover close by, like trees or large bushes?

[AlBags]

Just in the wrong place .. maybe too open for the birds.
Try moving it and turning facing SW.

[Chaffinch]

Agree, it could be in the wrong place, too much coming and going in in shed for the birds not to be disturbed. Have you a tree close by, if so move there before spring next year.

Good luck :)

[ladybirder]

SW facing box could spell trouble for the nestlings if the weather is warm. Here is a useful link on siting nest boxes from the RSPB.

http://www.rspb.org.u...mallbirds/siting.aspx

[homedeeth]

There is a tree approx 10 feet from the shed. there is hardly any activity in the shed because i only go to my allotment 1 a week. thank you for your answers!

[Maydup]

I'd be less worried about the north facing, its far better than them cooking in the sun if its south facing. Its probably just one of those things but a little more cover would certainly help. If you could plant a climber to grow up the shed, that would be great, or a couple of shrubs nearby. The denser the foliage the more nesting birds you find.

[carrust]

Bought my daughter 3 bird boxes for Christmas last year. I sited them as the book says. In the meantime they filled in a garden pond & left the filtration equipment in the garden. The equipment had a black tank similar to header tank in your loft...guess where a great tit built its nest?

[ladybirder]

LOL. Aren't birds brilliant.

[Chaffinch]

A few years ago, we could'dnt understand why one of our Ponies would not eat any hay when in his stable, but would lean over and eat the pony next doors. On checking there was a nest with 4 eggs in the hay net!! We left it and 4 Robin chicks hatched sucessfully, mum and dad must have done a good job, but we never saw them!!

Perry (show name Park Farm Perrigrine....yeeeks), was a very proud step dad, he garded that hay net so well.........bless

[welshlibranr]

I had a box on a a west facing wall for about 4 years, the birds didn't go near it, there was plenty of foilage about, but no luck!....then someone told me that it should ideally be on an east facing wall, so I moved it, and hey presto!.....I have a family of blue tits in there!.........

[AlBags]

Luck of the draw I think : )
I hope your tits are well ; )

Alx