Positioning of nestboxes

[optrex]

Can nestboxes be positioned incorrectly?
Do they have to face a certain direction?
Do they have to be a certain height?

Presumably this is relative to the type of birdbox you are fixing.

[Ben]

Can nestboxes be positioned incorrectly?
Do they have to face a certain direction?
Do they have to be a certain height?

Presumably this is relative to the type of birdbox you are fixing.

I have had Bluetits each year for 5 years in a nest box facing North so must be doing something right.

[Emma]

The most important point regarding position is to keep the hole pointing away from the prevailing winds. I remember last year the weather turned bad very quickly with strong winds, and many people were reporting dead babies the next day. The strong, cold winds wiped out many nestlings in that one night.

[optrex]

Thats interesting Emma, thanks for the feedback. The prevailing winds here would be Southwesterly, which means facing the box in an easterly/or preferably northeasterly direction. However, this in turn could leave them exposed to some fairly bitter winds, should we get anything push over from Scandinavia.

[Emma]

Looking on the RSPB site, they suggest siting the box somewhere between north and east "to avoid the wettest winds".

Ours is on the house wall facing between north and east (not sure of the exact position) but it gets a lot of protection from the garage roof.

[optrex]

Fantastic - thanks :)