Give a bird an ice-cream tub home

Temporary nests for UK's house martins

July 2010: House martin nests have a tendency to fall with the young still inside - but, says the RSPB, bird lovers can help by creating a low-cost substitute. Empty ice-cream and margerine tubs make ideal house martin homes when the original nest has been damaged by the weather.

TEMPORARY HOME: Margerine and ice-cream tubs make fantastic substitute nests for house martins

House martins build nests on outer walls of buildings under the eaves out of pellets of mud mixed with grass and lined with feathers and vegetable fibre, however they often fall before the young have left the nest - and the forecasted dry spell is likely to see this happen more frequently as the mud dries out.

However, a substitute nest can encourage the parents to continue to feed their young and a strong box or wall hanging container, deep enough to prevent the chicks falling out, is usually successful. The RSPB recommends an ice-cream tub or large margarine tub as the perfect alternative, with a few easy steps creating the perfect temporary house martin home.

The wildlife charity says that the cries of the young should encourage the parents back very quickly. If the tub is high under the eaves, the lid may be left off. The breeding season runs from May to August when insects are abundant, but some chicks are still in the nest in September.

House martins are frequently double brooded and three broods are not uncommon so falling nests could occur over the next few weeks when the weather is forecasted to be extremely hot with more mini heatwaves.

Richard James, RSPB Wildlife Adviser says: ‘Callers to our helpline are often very distressed when they see that a house martin nest is on the floor and fear the worst. But it is possible to help these birds with temporary structures and a humble ice cream tub could actually help whole families be raised successfully!'

Five steps to create the perfect house martin home

1.Take an empty four litre ice cream tub and cut an entrance in one of the longer sides, approximately 25 mm deep and 60-65 mm wide.

2. Make two small holes for fixing on the opposite side of the box.

3. Roughen the surface beneath the entrance hole to help the young birds scramble up to the opening.

4. Make two small drainage holes in the bottom of the tub and then put in the remains of the old nest (if you have it) or add hay to the tub.

5. Fix firmly in place as near to the original site as possible and then add the young birds and replace the lid.