When to put up a nest box for tits? When?

When should you put up a tit nest box? The best time is in autumn or winter, at the latest by the end of February. Tits start scouting for future nesting sites as early as late winter, so a nest box already in place is much more likely to be occupied in spring. In winter, it also serves as a roost and shelter from the cold. You can put one up all year round, but a nest box put up in April is often too late for the first brood.

Where and how to install the nest box?

• Height: between 2 and 5 m, on a tree trunk, wall, or post, out of reach of cats.
• Orientation: entrance hole facing east or southeast, sheltered from rain and prevailing winds. Avoid the full afternoon sun, which can overheat the nest box.
• Tilt: slightly tilted forward, so that rain does not enter.
• Quiet: away from busy areas and bird feeders, so as not to disturb the parents.
• Hole diameter: approximately 28 mm for the blue tit, 32 mm for the great tit.

Choose a nest box made of untreated wood, with an untreated interior, and with a roof or front that opens for cleaning.

When to clean the nest box?

Once a year, in autumn (September-October), when the young have left the nest. Remove the old nest, which can harbor parasites, brush out the interior and rinse with hot water, without chemicals. Never open it during the breeding season.

What is the breeding season for tits?

Site selection and nest building begin in March; egg-laying generally takes place in April or May, depending on the weather and region. The female builds the nest (moss, hair, feathers) and incubates the eggs, while the male feeds her. Both parents then feed the young, mainly with caterpillars, until they fledge about three weeks after hatching, and then for a few more days outside.

The blue tit usually raises only one brood per year. The great tit can raise a second one in June.

Recognizing garden tits

Tits are small birds from the Paridae family, very common in gardens and parks. The two species you will see most often are:

• The blue tit: small, with a blue cap and wings, white cheeks, and a yellow belly.
• The great tit: slightly larger, with a black head, white cheeks, and a yellow belly crossed by a black stripe.

Do not confuse them with the robin, recognizable by its orange breast, which does not nest in hole nest boxes.

They mainly eat insects and caterpillars in spring and summer, then more seeds in winter. In winter, they willingly move in small groups; in spring, each pair defends its territory around the nest.

How to attract tits to the garden?

In winter, offer sunflower seeds, net-free suet balls and fresh water, and keep hedges and shrubs. In spring, stop feeding suet and let nature take its course: the parents feed their young with caterpillars. By avoiding pesticides, you help them find this food, and in return, they help you limit caterpillars in the vegetable patch and orchard.

To learn more: where to place a nest box for tits, which nest box to choose and how to attract tits to a nest box.