Credit: natur&ëmwelt
On Monday 2 March 2026, Luxembourgish nature conservation organisation natur&ëmwelt Asbl issued guidance on the purchase and installation of bird nest boxes.
In a statement, the non-profit organisation advised that as the breeding season is approaching now is the time to hang up a new nesting box - whether it is a homemade or purchased model.
Natur&ëmwelt stated that when buying a nesting box, particular attention should be paid to the material from which it is constructed: wood or wood concrete are suitable as they are breathable materials, thereby preventing condensation forming during the breeding period. It is also important that the box can be opened on one side so that it can be cleaned after the season.
The non-profit said that tits, sparrows, pied flycatchers and nuthatches all require a closed nesting box, with the size of the entrance hole determining which species will occupy it. It also highlighted that nesting boxes are popular with birds typically associated with living in caves as natural caves have become rare.
To encourage successful breeding, the nesting box should be hung at a height of at least 1.8 to 2.0 metres. Regardless of whether the box is freely suspended from a tree or house, it must be safe from cats and martens. The entrance hole should be facing east-southeast and not exposed to direct sunlight.
The natur&ëmwelt nature shop in Kockelscheuer offers advice and nesting aids for a wide variety of species. For those wanting to build a nesting box, a collection of building instructions for replicating one can be found in the brochure "Bird-friendly construction – a breeding place for birds" (Vogelfreundliches Bauen – Ein Brutplatz für Vögel) available at the shop.
