Eye on Nature

Is there any evidence in support of the theory that removing old nests encourages birds to use the site again? Keith Lamb, Clara, Co Offaly.

As nest-building is an innate activity of birds in response to certain stimuli, it is likely that the removal of old nests would leave a suitable site free to be used again. Hole-nesting birds such as sand martins use the same sites each year but excavate new burrows. Swallows will use an old nest but will refurbish it. Tits will re-use nest-boxes but build a new nest each year, so nest-boxes should be thoroughly cleaned out to remove parasites.