Any type of wood will work. However, hardwoods like oak and beech will last longer than softer woods like pine. Don’t use wood that’s less than 3/4 of an inch thick. It can warp and won’t provide enough insulation to keep birds warm. House sparrows are invasive in some places and can be very territorial, so check with your local wildlife services before you make a nesting box. [2] X Expert Source Jeff JonesBird Specialist Expert Interview. 13 May 2021.
For the roof, move eight inches down from the end of the plank and make a mark on each side of the board. Use a ruler to draw a horizontal line between them. For the back, move 12 inches (30. 5 cm) down from your first line, and draw another horizontal line across. For the front of your nestbox, move down another seven inches down and draw another horizontal line.
For the first wall, move eight inches down the left side of your plank and make a mark. On the right side, make a mark seven inches down. Draw a line between the two. It should slant gently upward. For the second wall, the lengths are reversed. Move seven inches down the left side of the plank from the slanted line and make a mark. Move eight inches down the right side of the plank and make a mark. When you draw a line between these two marks, it will be horizontal if you have done it correctly. Finally, for the bottom, draw one more horizontal line five inches down from previous one. There should be about an inch left at the bottom, which you will discard.
Any saw will do, but a table saw or circular saw will give the cleanest cuts and do so the fastest.
A hole of 32mm (about 1 and 1/4 inches) is recommended for house sparrows. [5] X Research source
Hammer the nails in through the backside of the back piece and into the base. Attach the base so it is perpendicular with the back, about one to two inches up from the bottom of the back piece. Brass screws may be used in the place of nails if you prefer. [8] X Research source
Hammer the nails into the base through the outside of each wall. Hammer nails into the walls through the backside of the back piece.
To attach this piece, hammer nails through the front piece into the edges of the base and walls.
Your hinge should be waterproof. You can use a waterproof brass hinge, if you can find one, or just use piece of inner tube in the place of a hinge. Attaching the roof with a hinge ensures that the roof piece will fit onto the back without having to cut the edge at an angle. It also allows you to clean out the nestbox in the autumn after any new chicks have left the nest.
Sealing your nestbox can stop drafts and make the birds more comfortable. However, leaving the joints unsealed allows moisture to drain more easily. [13] X Research source
Placing the box close to the eaves of your home will make it attractive to sparrows. [15] X Research source Make sure to place it away from anything that would make it easy for a predator to access the nest.
