Don't forget to clean the nest box in the fall to prevent the spread of bacteria and ensure it is safe for birds. Now is the best time of the year to complete this task.
It is wonderful if you have installed nesting boxes in your garden or on the balcony. But just as you clean your own house, you should also clean the nesting box, especially if you want local wild birds to continue to breed there. Learn how to clean a nesting box in the fall to prepare it for next season.
Cleaning the nest box in autumn: tips for proper care
Nesting boxes provide a safe and warm habitat for garden birds to feed and raise their young. However, if they are not cleaned properly, they can endanger the health of animals. The nest box should only be cared for once a year, but it is important that you do this correctly.
Why should you clean a nesting box?
Although most birds groom themselves and keep themselves relatively clean, nest box hygiene is particularly important to reduce the occurrence of parasites and the transmission of diseases such as avian influenza to the brood the next season.
It is important to remove the old nests in the fall so that the box does not fill with nesting material. Some birds, such as chickadees, do not take the time to clean the area and build their own new nest and simply add material to the existing nest. So the nest gets bigger and bigger every year and it is closer and closer to the entrance hole, so that predators and...Cats the birds in itcan easily reach. This also increases the risk of crashes. In order to give the chicks the best start in life, you should care for the nesting box properly.
When is the best time to clean?
The best time to clean the nest box is autumn, between mid-September and mid-October. Once the young have fledged, they do not return as they sleep in trees and bushes. Even if adult birds sometimesNesting boxes for protection in winterdo not use it as a permanent residence. Like every nest, the nesting box is primarily used to hatch eggs and theAccommodation of the young birds.
Clean the nest box properly in the fall
Before you start cleaning, it is recommended to check whether the nest box is still inhabited, as some species can nest until September. Simply tap the nest box before removing it from the tree or wall.
Once you have made sure that there are no birds nesting in the box, you can clear it out.
Put on your rubber gloves and remove the removable lid to make cleaning the inside easier.
Remove as much of the old nest as possible, including any unhatched eggs. You can take this opportunity to admire this work of art with your children, because a nest is the result of hundreds of round trips with beaks loaded with moss, feathers and twigs.
Use a stiff-bristled brush to sweep the corners of the box of debris.
Gently pour boiling water into the nesting box to kill any parasites such as fleas, mites and ticks. Do not use soap or insecticides as these can be harmful to the birds.
Allow the box to air dry completely before resealing it.
If you put the nest box back in place, it is very likely that it will attract small suckers in the colder months who can use it for hibernation. In this case it will no longer be clean and free of parasites.
If you prefer to keep your nest box clean, you should either close all openings after cleaning or store it somewhere else during the winter. But don't forget to put it back in place before spring.
How you can build a nesting box yourselffind out here.
