Colour of nestboxes?

[dampflippers]

Does it make a difference what colour nest boxes are?
I'm sure I remember someone saying there is a book where this is discussed, but I can't remember what it was.

[hannu]

I think that if you want to get the best used capasity, colour should be as near as possible the natural breeding places. Mostly the natural colours are the best (green, grey, brown, white (> set to the birch) , but e.g. swift boxes you can paint colourful figures !

For example :
http://www.martingrund.de/test/segler2009.jpg
http://www.martingrund.de/apus/bilder/hauskolonie/kaesten/dachgaubenkasten02.jpg

[Marmot]

Had a look in a couple of books so far and not one of them mentions any colour that you shouldn't paint it. Just that varnish or water based acrylic paint are the most suitable.

:eek!: I suppose not all of us would want a bright pink nestbox on their wall though.

[hannu]

I forget to underline that wood material (sawn wood or drilling nest hole or veneer) itself is the best box material and it does not need any paint !

[dampflippers]

Wow Hannu, I've never seen anything like that here!
What are the platform things for on your roof?

I think that if you want to get the best used capasity, colour should be as near as possible the natural breeding places. Mostly the natural colours are the best (green, grey, brown, white (> set to the birch) , but e.g. swift boxes you can paint colourful figures !

For example :
http://www.martingrund.de/test/segler2009.jpg
http://www.martingrund.de/apus/bilder/hauskolonie/kaesten/dachgaubenkasten02.jpg

[hannu]

Wow Hannu, I've never seen anything like that here!
What are the platform things for on your roof?

I suppose that you can set colourful boxes to the wall of schools.
I have not swift boxes at present. But if I will build any kind of boxes, I will contribute wood without any paint. Dead tree or soft aspen is the best building material. You will find few bigger solution to build swift boxes on the next link :
http://www.gierzwaluw.com/project.htm

[hannu]

What are the platform things for on your roof?

One thing, I suppose that authorities have some kind of rules or instructions
about the facade !
AND
What You mean on your question ? :h?:

[KnockerNorton]

Too dark and it may get too hot. Too pale and it may not warm up well in the early morning. A nice wood brown is good enough, although green or grey would be ok. But bearing in mind that Great Tits etc will nest in postboxes and the like, colour doesn't seem to bother them.

[finchy]

I've got green and brown nestboxes up in the garden,birds inspect both with equal amounts of curiosity.

[edrick owl]

Hi finchy

So both colours are inspected, but is there any preferrence in colour to the take up of nest boxes used? Just curious. All mine are water based painted/preserved brown, though I have thought of making my next lot green, just out of curiosity.

Regards,

[jurek]

For tits paint the roof blue. ;)

[nobby]

I have seen this in The Bird Table Book by Tony Soper. He refers to experiments on Bird Box colours by I think a German Von someone (my book is on loan so I can't check).

I think he found that the birds did not seem to mind too much which colour bird box was used.

Brett.

[Pertinax]

But would preadators be attracted to houses that don't blend in to the surroundings?

[Euan Buchan]

my box is brown with a grey roof

[david2004]

But would preadators be attracted to houses that don't blend in to the surroundings?

That's what I would have thought. The birds don't seem to mind though. Some of my boxes are light coloured, some dark, some orange! All have had equal attention.

[edrick owl]

Hi all

Let's not get to scientific about this next bit, but do birds see in a different colour spectrum thingy than we do. If so, that would make nest box colours quite interesting to a human in comparison to a bird.

Just a thought.

Regards,

[snapper]

Does it make a difference what colour nest boxes are?
I'm sure I remember someone saying there is a book where this is discussed, but I can't remember what it was.Hi dampflippers my mother had two bird perfectly good nest boxes brown in colour placed in the right position & height which have not been nested in for two years the birds come & have a look & peck around the hole & thats it then for my mothers birthday my 8 year old niece brought a nest box it was bright blue & green with a red tiled roof with little steps up to the hole as not to affend my niece my mum put the box on the fence hidden from view behind a evergreen climber & guess what yes the Blue Tits are nesting in it you can have very base covered colour, size, position if it does not catch the birds eye it will not nest.

Regards Snapper.