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House Martin Nest Boxes

We all strive to achieve beautiful gardens filled with many different varieties of birds and other wildlife. House Martins can be seen in our gardens during the summer months, however sadly, their numbers are in decline and they have been placed on the Amber List. If you are lucky enough to have house martins in your area, you can offer them a place to nest.

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House Martin Nesting Box Bowls
House Martin Nest Box Bowl
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When do house martins arrive in UK gardens?

House Martins are migrants and spend their winters in Africa, returning to the UK in late March or early April, where they return to traditional nesting sites. House martins eat insects caught on the wing, so you cannot attract them by putting our bird food in bird feeders as you would to attract other species.

When do house martins nest?

Breeding season runs from May to August, where there is plenty of food available for them. House martins often nest in the eaves of houses, constructing their nests from mud, saliva and feathers. However, it is increasingly hard for them to find suitable materials to make their nests with, particularly with the general increase in drier summers and lack of wet mud! Sometimes the outsides of buildings are too smooth, meaning the nests fall down, sometimes with the nestlings inside.

We offer a range of nest boxes designed for house martins

House martins will happily nest in authentic replica boxes, that can be placed under the eaves of houses or outbuildings, out of the way of prevailing winds. Self-contained, these boxes are ready for use immediately. They are ideal for house martins to return to year after year.

  • House Martin Nest Box Bowls
  • Schwegler Single Nest for House Martins No 13
  • Schwegler House Martin Terrace No 11
  • Schwegler House Martin Double Nests

We also offer a number of accessories to go with these nests, such as dropping boards, to stop prevent the mess from droppings accumulating around windows and doors. House martins are naturally colonial nesters, with groups of four or five nests. With this in mind, we offer a flat connector, which allows you to install several nests side by side. Read more on our blog about house martins.

Note: Once you have put up your bird nesting box, it is important to let the birds nest in peace and by law, you must never disturb them.

What do house martins eat?

House martins live very different lives to a lot of birds. They spend most of their time on the wing at high altitudes, where they catch flying insects and aphids. So, you can’t really tempt them into visiting with the usual bird treats.

However, if you keep a wide variety of flowers and plants in your garden – or even better, a pond – you’ll attract some of the insects that house martins eat.

We can help, talk to us

Would you like to know more about house martins and invite them into your garden? We are passionate about birds and all other garden wildlife and would be delighted to help. Give us a call on freephone: 0800 085 4865.