Encouraging nesting birds

Okay if I want to encourage my "robin" and my "sparrows" to nest in the garden how do I go about it? I know Sparrows nest in groups or at least if they are house sparrows they do.

My OH has spent most the Summer producing many different nesting boxes, so many I do not think we have a tree or fence post left unadorned. Think the important things are water, shelter, security and food, bit like the rest of us really.

Robins will nest in an old tea-pot put in a thick hedge - apparently! We had a couple nesting in some thick ivy which had grown around a big tree right outside our back door. Sadly it wasn't high enough and the blooming cat got the nest!!!! Your garden centre is a good place to start looking for nesting boxes and they're always very knowledgeable and helpful at those places.

There are designs and drawing on the RSPB web site, not difficult to make the boxes if you have a saw and a hammer. Will see if I can find the URL

http://www.rspb.org.uk/ there are plans and advice on this site, it is not difficult if you own a saw and a hammer. Happy carpentry.

Thank you and yes I own a saw and hammer but not allowed to use either so will set my own persnal handyman to work (ie my Dad) I may have a look at him making a "terrace sparrow house" and the "diamond" shaped robin box.
Thanks I'll let you know if I get any tennants

Have to say my OH has enjoyed being an avian odd job man, started by making 3 and now we seem to have built a miniature Milton Keynes.

We've got a robin box to put up this year, it's got quite a big opening rather than a little hole in the front, and apparently wrens like them too. We don't mind who gets it, but we hope somebody does. There were lot of robins and wrens around here last winter, so fingers crossed

Apparently the position of the box is important too, because robins and wrens like to be fairly close to theground, but in good cover, whereas other species prefer to be higher up. I'm sure there's info on this on the rspb website.

Good luck!!!

Yes my robin appears to "live" in my Sundance bush, so I imagine lower to the ground would suit him, but working out how low to put him without cats being a danger.