Starlings in the Highlands are being given a chance to thrive
Making Space for Nature by Andy Summers
There’s still a damp chill in the morning air, and a frost lingers on the edges of the heather. It might not feel like it just yet, but with the longer days growing, spring is certainly here as far as our birds are concerned.
And our birds are already making their plans. Across the woodlands, gardens and moorlands, birds are checking out potential nest sites, sizing up hollows in trees, crevices in old stone walls, and, if we help them, the sturdy wooden bird boxes we put up for them.
Natural nesting sites are in decline. Old trees are often felled, traditional farm buildings are renovated, and neat gardens rarely provide the nooks and crannies birds need. That’s why putting up a bird box is one of the simplest and most effective ways to help our birds thrive.
While many species will benefit, this year within the High Life Highland ranger service we’re putting a special emphasis on starlings. Once a common sight, their numbers have been in dramatic decline, by over 50 per cent since 1995, and one of the main pressures they face is a lack of suitable nest sites.
A well-placed starling box could make all the difference to this amazing red-listed bird species surviving.
Different birds have different needs. A blue tit, tiny and agile, is happy squeezing into a small 25mm hole, whereas starlings need something closer to 45mm. Robins and wrens prefer an open-fronted box tucked away in a sheltered corner. But whatever the species, all nest boxes should be made from untreated wood, and be at least 15mm thick, to provide some insulation.
And here’s a tip: woodpecker-proof your box. Great spotted woodpeckers are known to hammer at nest holes to reach eggs or chicks inside. You can prevent this by reinforcing the entrance hole with a metal plate or adding an extra layer of wood around the entrance.
Positioning matters. Fix your box at least two metres off the ground, away from lurking cats or opportunistic squirrels. Face the entrance hole between north and east to avoid the worst of the weather, or overheating. Starlings like to nest in loose colonies, so putting up several boxes close together could encourage a small community to come and roost.
If you’d like to contribute to a better understanding of how birds use nest boxes, you can take part in the British Trust for Ornithology’s Nest Box Monitoring Scheme. By recording which species take up residence and how they use the box, you’ll be helping to build a bigger picture of breeding trends while enjoying a front-row seat to nature’s drama.
By late summer, your box will have served its purpose for the season, and a quick clean-out in autumn will make it ready and parasite free for next year’s healthy brood. But for now, as signs of spring flourish, it’s time to get those boxes up. And with any luck, before long, you’ll have a new generation of fledglings filling your garden with bird song.
The birds are waiting.
• Making Space for Nature is a monthly wildlife column with tips about how we can act to help wildlife in our communities. Andy Summers is a senior ranger for north Highland with High Life Highland.