Are plastic nest boxes any good....will birds use them ?? (1 Viewer)

Looking in our local JTF I saw some reasonably priced plastic nest boxes....they looked quite good and easy to clean etc. TBH maybe a bit on the large side.
BUT..........
Anyone any idea if birds would use them (as against wooden ones)?

David Smith said:

Looking in our local JTF I saw some reasonably priced plastic nest boxes....they looked quite good and easy to clean etc. TBH maybe a bit on the large side.
BUT..........
Anyone any idea if birds would use them (as against wooden ones)?

Click to expand...

Some years ago I bought a recycled-plastic open-fronted box, but, although it's been in various places round the garden, it's never been used!

If they're not well ventilated the can get a bit sweaty, not that birds sweat, but any moisture (from damp feathers, respiration etc) that gets in can't get absorbed away by the impermeable plastic the way it would by wood. Wooden boxes should be easy enough to get clean, it's just that they don't always look all that clean once used.

Cheers

James

HI David, just noticed your question on plastic nest boxes. I am the designer of a broad range of plastic nest boxes--our first was for barn owls, followed by boxes for bluebirds, screech owls, kestrels, and songbirds. The key to plastic box construction is good ventilation and, if designed for being mounted in the sun, a pale color (due to heat absorption). For this reason, our nest boxes always have excellent venting, and in the case of barn owl, kestrel, and bluebird houses--which are often mounted in open fields-- are fashioned from white, heat reflective plastic. The advantages are very long life and very light weight. All of our nest boxes achieve high rates of occupancy and fledgling success, so yes, plastic can work quite well.