March is approaching and with it the time when sparrows start a family. Modern smooth house facades usually offer few nesting places – so you can help the birds to breed.
Sparrows are cave breeders. According to the German Wildlife Foundation, they prefer to build their nests in niches of buildings and roofs. If this is not the case, a ready-to-use nesting box is a good alternative.
If you want to attach one to your facade, for example, you should pay attention to the following things.
►The height: Sparrows need a solid, undisturbed place for their nesting site. The box should be at least three meters high.
►The material: The nest box should be made of untreated wood or wood concrete. For weather resistance, please do not paint, but rather treat with biodegradable linseed oil varnish or an environmentally friendly wood stain. If the inner walls are slightly roughened instead of smooth, the fledgling young birds can easily climb up from the nest to the opening.
►The flight hole: Adult sparrows need a circle with a diameter of four centimeters or, in the case of an upright oval, the dimensions three by five centimetres. The holes in prefabricated boxes for sparrows are often too small. Tip: take a tape measure with you when you buy one. A perch in front of the hole is not necessary, on the contrary: it only supports nest robbers such as the marten.
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►The location: If possible, the sparrow home should face east. If the blazing sun shines on it from the south, it gets too hot inside. Heading west, on the other hand, it can be too windy and wet on some days.