Best nest boxes for UK garden birds
The hole size decides who moves in. Get that right and the rest is where you put it.
Updated 2 October 2026
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Quick picks
Wooden nest box (32mm hole) Our pickBest all-rounderCheck priceWooden nest box (28mm hole)Best for blue titsCheck priceSchwegler 1B woodcrete nest box Our pickLongest lastingCheck priceOpen-fronted nest boxFor robins and wrensCheck priceSparrow terrace nest boxFor house sparrowsCheck priceSwift nest boxFor swiftsCheck price
Best all-rounder: wooden box, 32mm hole
Wooden nest box (32mm hole)Our pick
A 32mm hole takes house sparrows, great tits and blue tits, so it is the safest first box. Look for timber at least 15mm thick, a hinged or removable lid for cleaning and no perch.
Best for blue tits: 25mm or 28mm hole
Wooden nest box (28mm hole)
A smaller hole keeps sparrows and starlings out and leaves the box for tits. Buy one with a metal plate round the hole, or add a plate, so woodpeckers and squirrels cannot enlarge it.
Longest lasting: woodcrete
Schwegler 1B woodcrete nest boxOur pick
Woodcrete is a wood fibre and concrete mix. It does not rot, holds a steadier temperature than thin timber and woodpeckers cannot break in. The 1B is widely used on nature reserves.
For robins and wrens: open-fronted box
Open-fronted nest box
Robins, wrens and spotted flycatchers ignore hole boxes. They want a half-open front, set low and hidden in ivy or a thick hedge.
For house sparrows: terrace box
Sparrow terrace nest box
House sparrows nest in loose colonies. A terrace gives two or three chambers in one box, fixed high under the eaves.
For swifts: swift box
Swift nest box
Swifts need a box at least 5m up with a clear drop below and no climbers or wires in the flight path. Fit it under the eaves on a north or east wall.
Where to put it
Height: 2 to 4 metres for tits and sparrows. Under 2 metres, in thick cover, for robins and wrens.
Direction: face the hole between north and east. That avoids strong sun and the wettest winds.
Angle: tilt the box forward slightly so rain runs off.
Spacing: keep it away from feeders. Busy feeders mean constant visitors and nesting birds do not settle.
When: put boxes up in autumn or winter. Birds roost in them through the cold and start prospecting from February.
What to avoid
Perches under the hole. Birds do not need them and predators use them.
Metal or thin plastic boxes. They overheat in sun and run with condensation.
Combined nest box and feeder. The feeding traffic drives nesting birds off.
Bright painted novelty boxes. Fine if the timber is thick and the hole is the right size. Most are neither.
Cleaning
Clean boxes out in autumn, once you are sure nesting has finished. Take out the old nest, pour in boiling water to kill parasites and let the box dry. Do not use insecticide or flea powder.
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