HORN NFAM TEN & J H VAN BALEN (2010) Use of nest boxes for sleeping by Great Tits Parus major. LIMOSA 83 (3): 119-125.

Several studies have been carried out on the use of nest boxes as sleeping place by Great Tits during the winter months. However, little is known on the preference for boxes with different characteristics such as size, material and size of the entrance hole. Between September and March 1984/85 to 1990/91, 74 nest boxes in a forest park in the city of Nijmegen have been checked five to six times per winter during the night hours (37 dates in total). The average occupation rate of nest boxes was 24.3% (Figs. 1 & 3). The occupation rate could not be explained by the nest box material, but older Great Tits roosted relatively more often in the wood cement boxes than first-year birds (Fig. 6). No difference was found between males and females in the choice of nest box material. Boxes with an entrance hole of less than 30 mm diameter, a depth under the entrance hole less than 12.5 cm and with floor area less than 70 cm2 are not favorite sleeping places(Figs. 4-5). There is an optimum in the preferences for boxes with differently sized entrance holes (Fig. 3).

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