The best bird boxes
Autumn is the best time to put one up, so birds can find it before spring. Here are the boxes worth hanging.
A bird box is a present that keeps giving: blue tits building a nest in spring, then the chicks fledging a few weeks later. It's a lovely one for grandparents and for children to watch together.
The RSPB suggests putting boxes up in autumn, so birds can get used to them (many use them to roost in winter), at roughly 3 to 5 metres up and facing between north and east, out of the strongest sun and wind.
What matters
- Hole-fronted boxes for tits and sparrows, open-fronted for robins.
- Put it up in autumn, 3 to 5 metres up, facing north to east (RSPB).
- A box that can be cleaned out each autumn.
- Away from where cats can climb.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Supa Multi-Purpose Wooden Nest Box
£10–£20 Price range
Two boxes in one: with its front panel on, it's a classic hole-fronted box for tits and sparrows; take out two screws and it becomes an open-fronted box that robins and wagtails prefer.
What owners say: Owners find it well made for the price, like the look of it, and say it's easy to put up.
A closer look: Decide who you want before putting it up: leave the front on for blue tits and great tits, or open it up and tuck it into a climber or hedge for robins, which like a hidden spot lower down.
- Converts between hole-fronted and open-fronted
- Suits tits, robins, sparrows, nuthatches and more
- Gap in the base for drainage
- 16.5 × 18 × 26cm
Best for: Any garden bird
- Material
- Wood
- Size
- 16.5 × 18 × 26cm
#2 of 5
Best modern
Elho Cosy Bird House (18cm, recycled plastic)
£10–£20 Price range
Made in the Netherlands from 100% recycled plastic with wind power, with vents and drainage holes, and it comes apart so it can be cleaned properly each autumn. Designed with bird experts for more than 11 species.
What owners say: Owners find it well made and beautiful, built to last for years, and easy to clean because it comes apart.
A closer look: Clean it out in autumn once the nesting season is over: old nests can harbour parasites. Plastic won't rot, so it's a good choice for a damp, shady spot.
- 100% recycled plastic
- Vents and drainage holes
- Comes apart for cleaning
- Suits 11+ species, from sparrows to blue tits
- 9-year warranty
Best for: Easy cleaning, no rot
- Material
- Recycled plastic
- Size
- 17.6 × 18 × 23cm
#3 of 5
Best novelty
Garden Mile Red Post Box Bird House
£20–£30 Price range
A bright red post box on the garden wall that doubles as a nesting spot for robins, wrens and tits. It always raises a smile, which makes it a favourite for Mother's Day and birthdays.
What owners say: Owners love the look of it, find it well made, and call it a quirky garden decoration that makes them smile.
A closer look: Hang it out of the midday sun, on a wall facing between north and east as the RSPB suggests for any nest box, and screw it on firmly so it doesn't swing in the wind.
- Looks like a red post box
- Weatherproof resin
- Sloped roof sheds rain
- Rear hanging point
- 24 × 17 × 13cm
Best for: A cheerful present
- Material
- Resin
- Size
- 24 × 17 × 13cm
#4 of 5
Best for robins
Gardman Robin Nest Box (open-fronted)
£10–£20 Price range
An open-fronted box made for robins, from FSC-certified timber. The floor comes out for a quick, mess-free clean at the end of the season.
What owners say: Owners find it well built and good value, and right for robins.
Heads up: Robins are fussy about where they nest, so it may take a season or two before one moves in.
A closer look: Put it low down and well hidden in ivy, a hedge or a climber: robins like cover, not an open fence.
- Open front, designed for robins
- FSC-certified timber
- Removable floor for cleaning
- 24 × 13.5 × 24cm
Best for: Robins
- Material
- FSC-certified wood
- Size
- 24 × 13.5 × 24cm
#5 of 5
Best rustic
CKB Barked Wooden Hanging Nest Box
£10–£20 Price range
Clad in bark so it blends into a tree like it grew there, with a 30mm hole that suits many small birds, and it can also give them somewhere to roost on cold winter nights.
What owners say: Owners find it good quality and great value for money.
A closer look: Hang it where cats can't reach it or wait beneath it: away from low branches and fences they could use to climb up.
- Bark-clad wood
- 30mm entrance hole
- Hangs from a branch
- 16 × 14 × 20cm
Best for: Natural-looking gardens
- Material
- Bark-clad wood
- Size
- 16 × 14 × 20cm
How they compare
| Feature | #1Supa multi-purpose | #2Elho Cosy | #3Garden Mile post box | #4Gardman robin box | #5CKB barked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best modern | Best novelty | Best for robins | Best rustic | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Price | £10–£20 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £10–£20 Price range |
| Material | Wood | Recycled plastic | Resin | FSC-certified wood | Bark-clad wood |
| Size | 16.5 × 18 × 26cm | 17.6 × 18 × 23cm | 24 × 17 × 13cm | 24 × 13.5 × 24cm | 16 × 14 × 20cm |
| Best for | Any garden bird | Easy cleaning, no rot | A cheerful present | Robins | Natural-looking gardens |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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