Winter Roosting Boxes

[wroughtiron]

I currently have out some winter roosting boxes. If anyone has any experiences to share pertaining to winter roosting boxes, please do.

[IanF]

We have woven reed 'roosting pockets' situated around the garden in amongst shrubs and on the fences. I have seen Wrens and Dunnocks checking them out but of course it's hard to see if they actually do roost in them over night or whether they are just looking for bugs.

Our nest boxes get used as well. Blue Tits have checked them out and the one with a camera in it has held a roosting Great Tit for the last month, but it's Blue Tits that nest in it in the Spring after cleaning out.

[Nina P]

I also have roosting pouches made of reeds and wood, these are placed in dense foliage so I don't often see what is using them unless they are going in and out frequently, but I have had plenty of use, and in those I never expected to last more than one season they are still in great condition and well used too by robins, wrens, dunnocks and sparrows being the main users, and the ones I have actually seen, but I wouldn't doubt the members of the tit family go in there too.

[pauco]

We also have 3 roosting pouches, + the nest box's are being sussed out, ready for those cold nights i hope.
bert.

[snowyowl]

This is something that I'm interested in also. Does anyone in N.A. have any idea of what species might use them, descriptions of the shelters, anything else that might be useful on the subject?

[wroughtiron]

I would like to add this. If you build a roost box, put the access hole at the bottom of the box instead of towards that top. This way, as heat rises it will not escape thru the entry hole.

[Katy Penland]

This is something that I'm interested in also. Does anyone in N.A. have any idea of what species might use them, descriptions of the shelters, anything else that might be useful on the subject?
Dan, here's a URL to Cornell's Lab of Ornithology site that has a drawing of a roost box, how it needs to differ from a nest box, and other interesting info. I haven't bothered with putting out nest or roost boxes here but with a long, wet winter predicted, I may just do that this year.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/AttractingBirds/OtherAttractants/RoostBoxes.html

[snowyowl]

Dan, here's a URL to Cornell's Lab of Ornithology site that has a drawing of a roost box, how it needs to differ from a nest box, and other interesting info. I haven't bothered with putting out nest or roost boxes here but with a long, wet winter predicted, I may just do that this year.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/AttractingBirds/OtherAttractants/RoostBoxes.html
Thanks, Katy! I should have thought of looking on Cornell's site.

[wroughtiron]

I currently have out some winter roosting boxes. If anyone has any experiences to share pertaining to winter roosting boxes, please do.

As you can see from the picture, the entry hole on a roost box is at the bottom and the inside contains internal perches. I currently have a Carolina Wren using a canopy and sleeping there pretty much every night of the week now.