Wildlife Boxes: Identifying and Monitoring Species in Nest Boxes, Roost Boxes and Beyond

Description:

This is a comprehensive guide to identifying and monitoring the species that use nest boxes, roost boxes and other artificial structures across Britain and Ireland. From blue tits and pied flycatchers to soprano pipistrelles and hazel dormice, it covers the full range of wildlife that practitioners and enthusiasts are most likely to encounter, including some unexpected visitors along the way.

With more than 100 photographs taken in the field, this book is a practical resource that reveals what box contents actually look like in practice - be they mammal droppings, intricate nests with patterned eggs and downy chicks or something else entirely. There is a certain knack to reading the many possible signs that residents have left behind, and this book builds that skill.

As natural tree cavities and other wildlife habitats have declined, boxes have become a vital lifeline for many species. They provide much-needed shelter, breeding sites and hibernacula in gardens, woodlands and across the wider countryside.

This guide also covers box design, installation and monitoring techniques. Written accessibly enough for the complete beginner yet with sufficient rigour for the professional, it draws on the direct experience of a wide network of ecologists, species experts and enthusiasts across Britain and Ireland. This is the ideal guide for anyone who installs, manages or surveys wildlife boxes, whether in the garden, on a nature reserve or as part of a licensed survey.

* Detailed annotated fieldwork photographs reveal wildlife box contents as never seen before.

* Multi-taxa coverage spans birds, bats and other small mammals, with guidance on box types suited to each species group.

* Explores the conservation importance of wildlife boxes in a world where spaces for nature are at a premium.