Last year (2022) we installed a nestbox for Red-rumped Parrots in the carpark.

Initially, it was inhabited by an Eastern Rosella family – you can see a few colourful feathers remain.

It is now occupied by a pair of Sugar Gliders! They are making a house their home, decorating to their own tastes by bringing in gum leaves.

In Spring you may be lucky enough to spot some baby birds and wildlife… installing a nestbox is a family-friendly activity to bring wildlife to your garden so you can watch them grow!

We’ve had a couple of Eastern Rosellas checking out the habitat box we installed (near the pea straw and sugar cane) only a couple of months ago.

What are Nestboxes?

All across Australia, we are in the midst of a deforestation crisis, with an MCG-sized area of forest and bushland destroyed every 86 seconds! These trees were a vital home for countless native animals. Tree hollows are used by 17% of Australian birds, and 42% of Australian mammals!
Nestboxes are a fantastic way for you to provide a home for animals in need! Hollows usually only form in trees that are at least 100 years old, and larger hollows need at least 200 years! However, installing a nestbox only takes one sunny afternoon with the kids!

Why Nestboxes?

Depending on the shape and size of the nest box you install, your garden could be home to a variety of different native animals. Some of the tenants you could expect include sugar gliders, antechinuses, possums, treecreepers, pardalotes, microbats, ducks, owls, and all manner of colourful parrots!

A nest box in the garden is also a fantastic way to engage children with nature! Keep in touch with the breeding season of the animals living in your nest box, and you could be able to watch as the babies take their first steps out into the world! If your garden is big enough, you can have many nest boxes, each home to a different species.

The Rules:

• The nest boxes must be placed out of reach of cats and foxes. At least 3 meters high is usually enough.
• A 1-2 cm layer of dry soil or wood shavings at the bottom of the box will make it a softer surface for the eggs, so they are less likely to crack. It also helps resemble the rotten wood of natural tree hollows.
• If you want to tie the box to the tree instead of using screws, make sure the rope/wire is surrounded by some padding to protect the tree. Threading the rope through a piece of garden hose is effective.
• It’s tempting to take a peek at the animals inside, but this often encourages them to find a new home. Imagine if you suddenly found out that the roof of your house was easily removable. Using a camera on a stick is a less invasive method of observing them.

DIY Nestboxes!

You can even make your own nestboxes! There are plenty of resources on the internet for designs of different nestboxes, based on what species you are hoping to attract. Just make sure you use thick enough wood (at least 15mm) so that the animals will are insulated from harsh summers or winters. Also, avoid any toxic glues, stains, varnishes or paints.

Nothing could ever replace old, healthy forest, but nestboxes are a huge step in making suburbia a safer place for the animals that used to be able to call it home.