Spacing of nesting boxes (2 Viewers)

[Drayton]

A few weeks ago we installed some nesting boxes along a long fence in our garden. Four of the boxes have a hole of approximately 3cm in diameter, and one (which was in position last year and was successfully used by a pair of coal tits) has a diameter of 2.8cm. The boxes are positioned at a height of about 1.5m to 2m, and are about 3m to 3.5m apart.

I have observed some behaviour over the past few days. Two of the boxes seem to have attracted potential occupiers. The original (2.8cm hole) box by a pair of blue tits, and one of the newer boxes a pair of house sparrows. The empty box next to the blue tits' box has attracted some attention, but every time a potential visitor arrives (blue tits, great tits and sparrows) they are chased away by one of the blue tits who have claimed the original box.

This is our first attempt at siting multiple boxes - is spacing at 3.5m too close together? Should we move the 'problem' box to a different, more distant location now, or leave it until this year's nesting season is over?

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[talon_dfa]

Some birds are colonial nesters (Purple Martin)...

Many other bird species that will nest in boxes, are territorial.
(They must have near exclusive use of an area to acquire the resources necessary to rear young.)

At best, with 3 boxes 3.5 meters apart, you can hope that 3 different species will use them...

Most likely, you are only offering a choice of boxes to one species...

I had a friend that once placed 10 bluebird boxes around his property (2 acres)...

He was disappointed that only 3 pairs of bluebirds nested...

If birds are still checking out your "problem" box, it is not too late to move it...

 

[Sue Wright]

Hi Drayton,

I'd certainly move it rather than risk upsetting the others, there's still enough time to do so yet as Talon says. It's usually best to work on the theory that the least amount of nesting boxes in one sight, the better the outcome and far more important, the least amount of stress for all nesting Birds there. If you have a front/back garden as well as the one you're speaking of then can the other one be erected there.

Good luck.

Sue.

 

[Drayton]

Talon & Sue - thank you for your advice.

One of my concerns was that the resident blue tits were having to 'defend' two nest boxes rather than one, and so moving the 'problem' box is the best option. We do have an alternative area so finding a location isn't an issue.

Thanks again.

 

[arkie_birder]

spacing of birdhouses

I have all ways been told that you need at least 150 t0 200 feet between boxes to prevent bird wars.

 

[Sue Wright]

I have all ways been told that you need at least 150 t0 200 feet between boxes to prevent bird wars.

Hi Arkie,

Maybe it would be best in an ideal world, but I wouldn't have thought it absolutely vital, though, as is always the case, so much depends on the actual Bird species concerned. Thanks for your input though.

Sue. PS. A very warm welcome to the boards and I hope you enjoy it here.

 

[Henstooth]

Yeah....move the problem box if not occupied by another species. The Tits are trying to drive away competition and potential cramp on their feeding zone. They don't need the stress. Get the box a good distance away, as stated pref to the other side of the house in alternate garden. Good luck and keep us posted. Wish I had any bird interested in my box!!! LOL. None nesting in my garden. Plenty of feeding so I'll live with that.
Henstooth

 

[Wickham]

Some birds are colonial nesters (Purple Martin)...

Many other bird species that will nest in boxes, are territorial.
(They must have near exclusive use of an area to acquire the resources necessary to rear young.)

At best, with 3 boxes 3.5 meters apart, you can hope that 3 different species will use them...

Most likely, you are only offering a choice of boxes to one species...

I had a friend that once placed 10 bluebird boxes around his property (2 acres)...

He was disappointed that only 3 pairs of bluebirds nested...

If birds are still checking out your "problem" box, it is not too late to move it...

I kept budgerigars once and they, being sociable birds, were quite happy to have nest boxes inches apart.

I suspect other sociable species like sparrows would also accept nest boxes close to each other (of course sea birds would fall into this category but who would put nest boxes for them!)

Long-tailed tits are also sociable birds but I've never heard of them using nest boxes. Are there any other sociable birds that might use nest boxes close together?

 

[Jos Stratford]

Yeah....move the problem box if not occupied by another species. The Tits are trying to drive away competition and potential cramp on their feeding zone. They don't need the stress. Get the box a good distance away, as stated pref to the other side of the house in alternate garden. Good luck and keep us posted. Wish I had any bird interested in my box!!! LOL. None nesting in my garden. Plenty of feeding so I'll live with that.
Henstooth

This late in the season I would say do not move any box if possible, but on a more general level would also add that I do not believe there is a problem placing boxes "too close" together. Sure if space is unlimited, spread them out (or just add extras) but placing high density availability just increases the possibilities for species to chose the varient that best suits them. In a natural setting, it is not unusual for a rotten tree to provide multiple nesting sites, so species will defend as necessary. Different boxes may get occupied by different species, even if close together. In my garden, I have two boxes just six centimetres apart, put like so to attract Tree Sparrows - Tree Sparrows do use one, but the second is occupied by Blue Tits, with Pied Flycatcher in a third box about two metres away. An additional reason I have high density boxing is perhaps not so relevant in many gardens - I have Pied Flycatchers. There arrive much later in the season, once Blue and Great Tits are settled and if there are no boxes available for them, they try to drive out the tits (and have succeeded). Also, in my second garden, I have a cluster of five Starling nestboxes, all within about 6 metres - four are used, including one box I had left propped against a tree by accident, intending to put it elsewhere!

 

[Drayton]

Thanks for the input everybody. An update - it looks as if we have 3 out of the 5 boxes occupied, by two pairs of great tits and one pair of blue tits. We also put up a robin nest box in another location behind some climbing honeysuckle about 2 weeks ago, and I discovered a nest inside yesterday