What direction to face boxes

[barnstormer]

Is there any advantage to which direction your nest box faces. I've got 4 boxes in my garden but they are on the south facing fence albeit facing sideways on, the fence is 6 ft but my north facing fence is only 3 ft and thats not high enough to mount a box unless there's a way round it.
None of my boxes were used this year and thought this may be the problem.Has anyone else had this problem ?.

[Marmot]

Possibly the boxes might be in the wrong place if the sun is shining on them for most of the day as it would get too warm for them inside. I sometimes think it is sheer luck if the boxes are used we have a new one which wasn't even looked at by them, yet an old clapped out one had some interest from the BT they did start taking grasses in but seemed to change their mind half way through.

[zz1666]

I guess it depends on the position of the sun. Since birds are more active in the morning, I'd think to have it facing east, so that they have their backs to the morning sun when visiting it.

[little liza]

My East-facing nestboxes are usually chosen first here.

[Ditch]

In england, I liked my boxes to face anywhere between North and East. By 'Face', I mean they'd be sited against a solid screen which itself faced that direction. The actual entrance hole might be on the front of the box, or at either side.

Here, in Eire, the winds are most often from the west, and completely vicious with it! A west facing hole here could spell disaster. Yet we have the odd blow from the north too.

Thus I try to find what the birds are up to themselves. Under local conditions? Hole nesters show me they like south facing holes in situations which run deep, or otherwise provide some shelter within. South through to east is the preference here then. Funny, isn't it?

Try to spot where ye own local birds are choosing. Then consider why. Provide more of the same :t:

[KCFoggin]

Same here as far as the east, northeast facing nestboxes.