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When to clean out old bird boxes?
How to clean rock-climbing shoes?How to clean hiking bootsHow to humanely kill an injured bird?Identify this bird call?Where to report bird with leg ring id?Bird migration across Atlantic?What is this brown bird with a white area over its eye, found on the top of a pine tree in Ohio?How do I clean my knife sharpener?How should I rescue a baby bird, including when it's wet?Why aren’t birds using these feeders?
We had birds (blue tits) at who work last year nested in a metal wall mounted cigarette bin, this year we provided a hand-made wooden bird box specifically designed for blue tits and then blocked up the larger holes on the cigarette bin.
The young have since fledged, which is great and you can no longer hear anything inside the box. What time of year should we clean the box out, if at all? Reason to ask is one young bird last year did die (the rest fledged) and was left by the parents however the cigarette bin gets cleaned out by maintenance staff, so the point was moot at the time. This box is not maintained by the same staff but by my work.
birds maintenance
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
add a comment |
We had birds (blue tits) at who work last year nested in a metal wall mounted cigarette bin, this year we provided a hand-made wooden bird box specifically designed for blue tits and then blocked up the larger holes on the cigarette bin.
The young have since fledged, which is great and you can no longer hear anything inside the box. What time of year should we clean the box out, if at all? Reason to ask is one young bird last year did die (the rest fledged) and was left by the parents however the cigarette bin gets cleaned out by maintenance staff, so the point was moot at the time. This box is not maintained by the same staff but by my work.
birds maintenance
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
1
Check for a second brood, as birds may use the same nest box two or more times in a year.
– Willeke
May 30 at 11:56
We definitely would check for some more chicks before doing anything.
– Aravona
May 30 at 13:16
add a comment |
We had birds (blue tits) at who work last year nested in a metal wall mounted cigarette bin, this year we provided a hand-made wooden bird box specifically designed for blue tits and then blocked up the larger holes on the cigarette bin.
The young have since fledged, which is great and you can no longer hear anything inside the box. What time of year should we clean the box out, if at all? Reason to ask is one young bird last year did die (the rest fledged) and was left by the parents however the cigarette bin gets cleaned out by maintenance staff, so the point was moot at the time. This box is not maintained by the same staff but by my work.
birds maintenance
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
We had birds (blue tits) at who work last year nested in a metal wall mounted cigarette bin, this year we provided a hand-made wooden bird box specifically designed for blue tits and then blocked up the larger holes on the cigarette bin.
The young have since fledged, which is great and you can no longer hear anything inside the box. What time of year should we clean the box out, if at all? Reason to ask is one young bird last year did die (the rest fledged) and was left by the parents however the cigarette bin gets cleaned out by maintenance staff, so the point was moot at the time. This box is not maintained by the same staff but by my work.
birds maintenance
birds maintenance
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
asked May 30 at 8:34
AravonaAravona
11.6k549112
11.6k549112
1
Check for a second brood, as birds may use the same nest box two or more times in a year.
– Willeke
May 30 at 11:56
We definitely would check for some more chicks before doing anything.
– Aravona
May 30 at 13:16
add a comment |
1
Check for a second brood, as birds may use the same nest box two or more times in a year.
– Willeke
May 30 at 11:56
We definitely would check for some more chicks before doing anything.
– Aravona
May 30 at 13:16
1
1
Check for a second brood, as birds may use the same nest box two or more times in a year.
– Willeke
May 30 at 11:56
Check for a second brood, as birds may use the same nest box two or more times in a year.
– Willeke
May 30 at 11:56
We definitely would check for some more chicks before doing anything.
– Aravona
May 30 at 13:16
We definitely would check for some more chicks before doing anything.
– Aravona
May 30 at 13:16
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
It looks like the answer is to clean them out at least once a year, once the breeding season is over and before winter, which would be around the end of August in the northern hemisphere (or the end of February in the southern hemisphere).
If a species has multiple broods, they can be cleaned out between each one, so long as you wait until after the birds have completely left the nest.
The standard recommendation is to remove the materials and then clean the box with boiling water to kill the parasites.
Also see,
- How to clean your nestbox
- The NHBS guide: Where to hang and how to maintain your nest box
- Cleaning Nestboxes
- Audubon Recommendations
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
That looks like a northern answer; s/August/February/ for the southern hemisphere?
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:24
I'd suggest that late August might still be a bit early in northern countries - here in Scotland, we're advised not to trim hedges until September as second broods may still be fledging in August.
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:27
@TobySpeight I am sure it depends on the birds some may leave sooner or later, one would probably want to go check before cleaning it out
– Charlie Brumbaugh
May 30 at 14:47
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It looks like the answer is to clean them out at least once a year, once the breeding season is over and before winter, which would be around the end of August in the northern hemisphere (or the end of February in the southern hemisphere).
If a species has multiple broods, they can be cleaned out between each one, so long as you wait until after the birds have completely left the nest.
The standard recommendation is to remove the materials and then clean the box with boiling water to kill the parasites.
Also see,
- How to clean your nestbox
- The NHBS guide: Where to hang and how to maintain your nest box
- Cleaning Nestboxes
- Audubon Recommendations
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
That looks like a northern answer; s/August/February/ for the southern hemisphere?
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:24
I'd suggest that late August might still be a bit early in northern countries - here in Scotland, we're advised not to trim hedges until September as second broods may still be fledging in August.
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:27
@TobySpeight I am sure it depends on the birds some may leave sooner or later, one would probably want to go check before cleaning it out
– Charlie Brumbaugh
May 30 at 14:47
add a comment |
It looks like the answer is to clean them out at least once a year, once the breeding season is over and before winter, which would be around the end of August in the northern hemisphere (or the end of February in the southern hemisphere).
If a species has multiple broods, they can be cleaned out between each one, so long as you wait until after the birds have completely left the nest.
The standard recommendation is to remove the materials and then clean the box with boiling water to kill the parasites.
Also see,
- How to clean your nestbox
- The NHBS guide: Where to hang and how to maintain your nest box
- Cleaning Nestboxes
- Audubon Recommendations
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
That looks like a northern answer; s/August/February/ for the southern hemisphere?
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:24
I'd suggest that late August might still be a bit early in northern countries - here in Scotland, we're advised not to trim hedges until September as second broods may still be fledging in August.
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:27
@TobySpeight I am sure it depends on the birds some may leave sooner or later, one would probably want to go check before cleaning it out
– Charlie Brumbaugh
May 30 at 14:47
add a comment |
It looks like the answer is to clean them out at least once a year, once the breeding season is over and before winter, which would be around the end of August in the northern hemisphere (or the end of February in the southern hemisphere).
If a species has multiple broods, they can be cleaned out between each one, so long as you wait until after the birds have completely left the nest.
The standard recommendation is to remove the materials and then clean the box with boiling water to kill the parasites.
Also see,
- How to clean your nestbox
- The NHBS guide: Where to hang and how to maintain your nest box
- Cleaning Nestboxes
- Audubon Recommendations
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
It looks like the answer is to clean them out at least once a year, once the breeding season is over and before winter, which would be around the end of August in the northern hemisphere (or the end of February in the southern hemisphere).
If a species has multiple broods, they can be cleaned out between each one, so long as you wait until after the birds have completely left the nest.
The standard recommendation is to remove the materials and then clean the box with boiling water to kill the parasites.
Also see,
- How to clean your nestbox
- The NHBS guide: Where to hang and how to maintain your nest box
- Cleaning Nestboxes
- Audubon Recommendations
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
edited May 30 at 17:05
Toby Speight
2,9461434
2,9461434
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
answered May 30 at 13:10
Charlie BrumbaughCharlie Brumbaugh
52k17148305
52k17148305
That looks like a northern answer; s/August/February/ for the southern hemisphere?
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:24
I'd suggest that late August might still be a bit early in northern countries - here in Scotland, we're advised not to trim hedges until September as second broods may still be fledging in August.
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:27
@TobySpeight I am sure it depends on the birds some may leave sooner or later, one would probably want to go check before cleaning it out
– Charlie Brumbaugh
May 30 at 14:47
add a comment |
That looks like a northern answer; s/August/February/ for the southern hemisphere?
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:24
I'd suggest that late August might still be a bit early in northern countries - here in Scotland, we're advised not to trim hedges until September as second broods may still be fledging in August.
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:27
@TobySpeight I am sure it depends on the birds some may leave sooner or later, one would probably want to go check before cleaning it out
– Charlie Brumbaugh
May 30 at 14:47
That looks like a northern answer; s/August/February/ for the southern hemisphere?
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:24
That looks like a northern answer; s/August/February/ for the southern hemisphere?
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:24
I'd suggest that late August might still be a bit early in northern countries - here in Scotland, we're advised not to trim hedges until September as second broods may still be fledging in August.
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:27
I'd suggest that late August might still be a bit early in northern countries - here in Scotland, we're advised not to trim hedges until September as second broods may still be fledging in August.
– Toby Speight
May 30 at 13:27
@TobySpeight I am sure it depends on the birds some may leave sooner or later, one would probably want to go check before cleaning it out
– Charlie Brumbaugh
May 30 at 14:47
@TobySpeight I am sure it depends on the birds some may leave sooner or later, one would probably want to go check before cleaning it out
– Charlie Brumbaugh
May 30 at 14:47
add a comment |
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1
Check for a second brood, as birds may use the same nest box two or more times in a year.
– Willeke
May 30 at 11:56
We definitely would check for some more chicks before doing anything.
– Aravona
May 30 at 13:16