Like many animals, birds will naturally use the natural canopy of large, mature trees, or even tree hollows, for shelter from the elements or when nesting.
Unfortunately, urban development has removed most of these trees from our region.
On top of that, we have also removed suitable old trees from our parks and gardens to reduce the fuel load for potential fires and for public safety around falling branches.
Artificial nesting boxes are usually a last-resort option for many birds. The removal of large trees from the urban landscape is having a significant impact. You may not see immediate results when you provide a home for native birds, but a ReWild garden will be more attractive to them over time.
Habitat Value: Level 3
Provide a home for nativebirds is a fairly high value ReWild action, even though you may not see the nesting boxes used for several years.
However, we need to provide these artificial homes (called ‘novel habitats’) so our birdlife has an option when travelling through urban areas.
Including smart water features and edible native plants in your garden will encourage use of these nesting boxes.
The Level 3 habitat value reflects the importance of reintroducing shelter and refuge to native species. This is central to the ReWild purpose.
Although we can’t really ‘rewild’ the natural homes of our native birds in our lifetime – some mature trees are more than 100 years old before they develop suitable hollows – we can help by protecting remnant bushland and creating opportunities in our gardens.
Pet Ownership
Novel habitats need to be placed carefully with regard to our pets.
If you think a cat can access a habitat, it can and will.
Consider this carefully before introducing any habitats for lizards.
Land cleared for housing and removal of mature trees from our parks and gardens has impacted nest opportunities for native birds.
We can help reverse this trend.
Nesting boxes need to be installed no less than five meters above the ground on a prominent branch or on the trunk of a tree.
We have not included nest boxes for black cockatoos due to specific engineering requirements – check out the Red-tailed Black-cockatoo page for an example.
Regent Parrot nesting box
Rufous Treecreeper nesting box
Tree Martin nesting box
Rosella or Regent Parrot nesting box
Red-capped Parrot nesting box
Australian Owlet-nightjar or Elegant Parrot nesting box
Lorikeet nesting box
Kingfisher nesting box
Galah nesting box
Duck nesting box
Boobook nesting box
Barn Owl nesting box
Pardalote nesting box
As you can see from the designs above, you can make a nesting box that mimics the preferred habitat of specific birds.
We have included nest box designs in the ‘Habitat’ section of our animal resources – check out the Sacred Kingfisher page for an example.
Nesting boxes provide refuge from weather conditions and many predators (including our pets), offering a simple solution to the housing crisis.
