Wacky and decorative nest packing containers risky for young birds, warns RSPB

A trend for brightly-coloured and inappropriate nest packing containers endangers young birds, the RSPB warned on Friday.

The charity said it had obtained a upward thrust in reports from the public over the past five years of wacky and decorative boxes that put style over substance, together with ones within the form of windmills and caravans.

Brightly-colored bins could make baby birds more conspicuous to predators such as cats and squirrels, it said, urging shoppers to shop for traditional wood boxes alternatively.

other containers to avoid consist of those made from unusual materials consisting of ceramics, which might make bins too cold for nesting birds, and metallic ones which would possibly overheat the birds interior on hot days or damage them on their manner in and out.

“people tend to forget about that a nest field will ultimately include tiny helpless, prone infant birds so the advent of the box have to be the final aspect to your thoughts,” stated RSPB natural world adviser, Ben Andrews.

“we've got noticed in the remaining five or so years increasingly more people alerting us to locations are promoting incorrect nest packing containers. There’s been extra of an emphasis on people’s gardens becoming greater ornamental.”

He said people had been unwittingly choosing incorrect substances, shapes and sizes. “It’s not to mention a hen received’t attempt to use it. but the fowl doesn’t truly know it’s incorrect until maybe it’s too past due.”

as an example, with a metal container, nesting birds ought to go through extremes of heat and bloodless. “while it gets heat, that might rather heat up and the chicks inside could perish. you may additionally get opposite with field like that.”

He stated that an increasing percentage of containers being bought on line, where specific designs should lead them to stand out in listings, was contributing to the problem.

instead, human beings ought to choose for classic wooden packing containers with a v-fashioned roof that are waterproofed, perch-unfastened and with the proper length holes to preserve predators out. If customers did need to choose an ornamental field then they have to block up the holes to stop birds moving into, Andrews said.

Nest packing containers play an critical position as a stand-in for holes in bushes and hedgerows for garden birds together with blue titties, robins and house sparrows. The 14-21 February is ‘Nest container Week’, which encourages humans to place up the bins of their gardens.