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Nest boxes- the last step In the Moreton Bay Regional council area, there are more than 31 native mammals, 14 reptiles, 6 amphibians, and 60 bird species that use tree hollows. In fact, approximately 15 percent of Australia’s terrestrial vertebrate wildlife depend on tree hollows for shelter or breeding. Unfortunately, naturally occurring hollows are becoming scarce, leaving much of our wildlife homeless. How can I help our local wildlife? 1. Retain old Eucalypts and other hollow bearing trees; 2. Plant local native trees for a food source and a future habitat tree; and 3. Hang nest boxes to provide more homes for our wildlife Eucalypts take at least 120 - 200 years to form hollows. Try to preserve habitat trees with hollows. The community and private landholders can get involved to improve the habitat for native wildlife by preserving hollow bearing trees and erecting nest boxes. Nest boxes can play a vital role in species conservation in areas where tree hollows have been removed or/are scarce. The first priority before installing nest boxes in an area is to retain or plant local native trees. Why install a nest box? The abundance of tree hollows is decreasing due to the effects of: Vegetation clearing; Fire wood collection; Bushfires; Increased tree fall in disturbed areas; Low tree recruitment due to clearing of understorey vegetation. A nest box should not replace an existing tree hollow. Try and retain old native hollow bearing trees where possible. What wildlife species do I target? Nest boxes can be designed and located to attract specific fauna such as micro-bats, rosellas, lorikeets, cockatoos, gliders or possums and even native bees. In residential areas or urban parklands, nest boxes will often be used by animals which are more adaptable to disturbed areas (such as kookaburras, possums, parrots and cockatoos) and exclude other less dominant species (such as tree creepers, kingfishers, micro-bats and gliders). Hollow dependant priority species of the Moreton Bay Region Common Name Likelihood in Urban Areas Type of Box Powerful Owl Possible Very large bird box. Glossy Black-Cockatoo Possible to Unlikely Very large bird box. Red-browed treecreeper Possible Parrot Box Turquoise Parrot Unknown Parrot Box Sooty Owl Unlikely Very large bird box. Brush-tailed Phascogale Unlikely Glider box Squirrel Glider Likely in urban areas Glider box Feathertail Glider Likely in urban areas Microbat Box Golden-tipped Bat Unlikely Microbat Box Where do I get a nest box? 1. Receive a free nest box by joining one of council’s voluntary conservation programs. 2. Buy a suitable nest box through a reputable commercial dealer. 3. Build one yourself at a workshop or following recommended design and construction. Page 2 of 4 February 10 What nest box design? The size of the entrance hole of the nest box generally determines the type of fauna that will use a nest box. Micro-bats and small gliders can enter small holes or gaps (20 – 30mm diameter) while Brushtail possums, some parrots and owls require large entrance holes (100-200mm diameter). The depth of the box may also be an important factor; large birds such as owls may need a hollow up to 1m deep. The height in the tree where the nest box is positioned should also be considered. A great book for nest box design and construction is Nest Boxes for Wildlife, a Practical Guide, by Alan and Stacey Franks. This book can be purchased through council. Nest box requirements for different native animals (Sourced from Nest Boxes for Wildlife) Species IM (mm) DC (mm) ED (mm) HG (m) Comments Brushtail possum 250x250 300 100 2-4 Powerful Owl 500x500 800 200 7-15 Black Cockatoo 300x400 1200 200 8-10 Will use several sites This is a large nest box Angled spout entrance Treecreeper Brush-tailed Phascogale Squirrel Glider 150x150 350 60 3-6 150x200 300 50 3-6 150x250 300 45 3-6 2-5 boxes per colony Top 150x150 300 30 3-6 2-5 boxes per colony Feathertail Glider Bottom 150x20 30 hole Bat design 3-5 Bottom opening 400 Microbat 20 slot box Key: IM = Inside measurement; DC = Depth of chamber from bottom of entrance hole; ED = Entrance diameter; HG = Height above ground What do I use to construct a nest box? Nest boxes are generally constructed of durable timber in a variety of sizes to suit a range of possible native wildlife. The best materials for construction are either 30mm thick plantation pine or structural or external pine plywood. Rough-sawn or even second hand timber is ideal; although you must make sure it is free of nails and paint. Leave tree hollows and fallen timber in bushland areas. If a hollow exists, wildlife are probably already using it. Nest boxes should contain small drainage holes at the base and 20-30mm of hardwood sawdust placed in the box. Nesting material is not required as this will be brought in by the fauna using the nest box. Do not paint the inside of the nest box. Page 3 of 4 February 10 How and where do I install the nest box? Nest boxes should only be installed in trees by a professional arborist who can ensure that the nest box is installed in a manner that does not affect the health of the tree. The most common way of installation is by using the Habisure system (shown in the picture). Nest boxes should be installed high up in the tree to reduce the chances of predation of occupying fauna by cats and goannas. Choose your nest box position carefully. Remember to position the box so that you can see it and enjoy the activities of its tenants. Most directions except due west are fine, as long as you take into account your particular location. For example, if you get particularly bad storms from one direction, try to face the box away from that aspect. Also consider facing the entrance away from prevailing winds, and make sure that the box will have plenty of shade during the hottest part of the day. Feeding native wildlife is not a good idea. Once your new nest box is occupied, please resist feeding. Feeding wildlife fosters familiarity with humans and domestic animals. Feeding wildlife encourages a dependency on an artificial food source, which will stop if you go on holiday, get sick, or move away. And lastly, your feeding routine is soon 'sussed out' by local cats and dogs. What maintenance is required for a nest box? Once you have installed your nest box very little maintenance is required. Once a year, have a quick look to see if any repairs are required and make sure that the box is still securely fastened to the tree. Nest boxes if constructed properly can last around 10 years. Some introduced birds such as Sparrows, Starlings, and Mynas have become a menace; driving native wildlife away, or even building their own nests on top of existing eggs or young. The introduced honeybee has also become a serious problem in some areas. Install a nest box on your own property and enjoy watching the wildlife coming to visit. How do I go about monitoring and reporting what comes to visit? Monitoring is simple and pleasurable part of owning a nest box. If the box is mounted where it can be easily observed, you can regularly check it, from a distance, to see which species may be inspecting it as a potential home. Please report your sightings on council’s native species sighting form. References and further reading Franks A and Franks S (2007) Nest Boxes for Wildlife: a practical guide. Council’s Land for Wildlife program Page 4 of 4 February 10