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Yes. Many small birds use nest boxes to roost on cold nights. Wrens, blue tits, great tits, house sparrows and starlings all shelter in boxes in winter, and wrens sometimes pack in by the dozen to share body heat. Clean your nest boxes between 1 September and 31 January, add a small handful of clean wood shavings, and leave them up. Woven roosting pockets are used less reliably, but they’re cheap and some birds do take to them.
- Top winter roosters: wrens, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, house sparrows, starlings.
- Clean boxes: 1 Sept to 31 Jan only — the legal window.
- Bedding: a small handful of clean wood shavings; no cotton wool or fluff.
- Position: sheltered, facing away from prevailing wind and midday sun.
- Roosting pockets: hit and miss, but wrens use them most.
Why small birds need shelter at night
A blue tit weighs about 11 grams. On a freezing night it can burn through a large share of its fat reserves just keeping warm, which is why winter feeding matters so much. Getting out of the wind and wet makes a real difference to how much energy a bird loses. Hedges, ivy, dense conifers, holes in trees and buildings are the natural choices — a nest box is simply one more safe, dry hole.
Which birds roost in boxes
- Wrens: the champions. They often roost communally in winter, and there are well-known records of dozens of wrens squeezed into a single box.
- Blue and great tits: usually roost alone, one bird per box.
- House sparrows and starlings: use boxes, holes in eaves and gaps in roofs.
- Treecreepers: may use specialised wedge-shaped boxes on tree trunks.
Robins and blackbirds generally roost in thick cover rather than enclosed boxes.
Getting your nest box ready for winter
- Check it’s empty. Between 1 September and 31 January you can remove old nests. Outside that window it’s an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to disturb an active nest.
- Clear out the old nest (wear gloves — it will hold fleas and mites).
- Scald with boiling water and let it dry fully. Avoid insecticides and strong chemicals.
- Add a small handful of clean wood shavings for insulation. Don’t use cotton wool, fabric or pet fur that can tangle feet.
- Check the lid and drainage — a leaking box is worse than none.
- Leave it up. Birds prospecting in late winter will already know it’s there.
If you find unhatched eggs while cleaning, they can only be removed legally between 1 September and 31 January, and must then be destroyed — it’s illegal to keep them.
Do roosting pockets work?
Roosting pockets are the woven wicker, willow or grass “pods” sold in garden centres, usually with a side hole. Honest answer: they’re less reliable than a solid wooden box. They let in more cold and wet, and many never get used. But they’re cheap, look nice, and wrens especially do take to them in sheltered spots.
To give one the best chance:
- Hang it tucked into dense cover — ivy, a climber on a wall, a thick hedge.
- Place it 1.5–3 metres up, out of cat reach.
- Face the entrance away from prevailing wind (in most of the UK, avoid facing south-west).
- Put it up in autumn so birds find it before the coldest weather.
- Expect it to last a couple of winters before it breaks down.
Roosting box vs nest box
| Standard nest box | Dedicated roost box | Woven roosting pocket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation | Good (solid timber) | Good, often with internal perches | Poor to fair |
| Entrance | High on the front | Low, so warm air stays trapped above | Side hole |
| Use in spring | Nesting | Rarely | Occasionally by wrens |
| Lifespan | Many years | Many years | 1–3 winters |
Our pick: if you’re buying one thing, buy a solid wooden nest box with a 28 mm or 32 mm hole. It roosts birds in winter and nests them in spring.
How to tell if birds are roosting in your box
Don’t open it at night — you’ll flush birds out into the cold. Instead, watch the box at dusk, from about half an hour before sunset. Wrens often arrive in a steady trickle. Droppings around the entrance or inside at your next clean-out are another sign.
Common questions
Should I put hay in a nest box for winter?
Wood shavings are a safer choice — hay can hold damp and mould. Use only a small handful.
Can I put up a new nest box in winter?
Yes. Autumn and winter are the best times, so birds can use it for roosting and find it before the breeding season.
Why is there a dead bird in my nest box in winter?
Small birds do sometimes die overnight in severe cold. Remove it with gloves, clean the box and leave it up.
Should the box face a particular way?
Between north and east is usually best, avoiding strong afternoon sun and the prevailing south-westerly wind.
Related guides
Sources: RSPB and BTO nest box guidance; BTO National Nest Box Week advice; Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Compare nest boxes at Amazon UK. Prices and stock change often, so it is worth checking before you commit.
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