National Nest Box Week (NNBW) is just around the corner.

Anyone can take part whether you’re a family with space for a box in your garden, a teacher, a member of a local wildlife group, or you belong to a bird club.

Natural nest sites for birds such as holes in trees or old buildings are disappearing fast as gardens are ‘tidied’ and old houses are repaired.

We’re asking you to put up a nest box from February 14 to 21 to help increase the number of suitable nesting spaces for birds.

Taking part in NNBW gives you the chance to contribute to bird conservation whilst giving you the pleasure of observing any breeding birds that you attract to your nest box.

Valentine’s Day was chosen as the start of NNBW as this is the traditional date when birds pair up for the new breeding season.

For more information, tips and advice on what nest box to have and where to position it, have a look at www.bto.org/about-birds/nnbw So if you've never built a nest box before, why not give it a go this year? Or if you haven't got the time, it's easy to buy a good one. Go on, take part for Britain’s birds.

Danny Yeoman

Bird and wildlife expert British Trust for Ornithology