Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Homemade Nest Boxes For Cavity-Nesting Ducks
Homemade Nest Boxes
A variety of materials have been used to construct homemade nest boxes. Most nest
boxes have been made out of wood or metal, each having certain advantages and
disadvantages. The wood nest box is sometimes more readily accepted by wood ducks,
but the metal nest box can provide a safer nest site. While the metal box tends
to be predator proof, additional measures will need to be taken to deter predation
of nests in wooden boxes. (See predator guards pages 19 and 20). The wood nest
box is easy to build, while sheet metal required to build the metal nest box can
be hard to work with and may require special tools. The wood nest box generally
blends in well with the natural landscape. Squirrels tend to avoid metal boxes
while both squirrels and starlings prefer to nest in wood boxes. The metal nest
boxes will last 10 to 15 years while the life-span of the wood nest box may be
considerably shorter depending on such factors as types of wood used, quality
of construction and weather.
Whether you use wood or metal to build your nest box, you must remember that
ducks do not carry nest material to the nest. Therefore, suitable nesting
materials such as coarse sawdust, wood chips, or shavings must be provided in
the bottom of every nest box. It is important to include some wood chips or
shavings since sawdust alone tends to pack. Even the best built nest boxes will
not be used if nesting material is not provided.
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