Knowledge base: Nest boxes and nesting birds
Birds are nesting in my roof. Can I block them out?
Not while they are nesting. The RSPB says it is illegal to remove an active nest in your home, and that you should wait until the chicks have left before removing a nest or blocking its entrance. If you need to keep birds out, it advises doing it in the winter months when they are not nesting, and offering a nest box outside instead.
Who is likely to be up there
The RSPB names:
- Starlings and house sparrows: the birds most likely to share your home, usually getting in through a gap between the roof tiles and the gutter.
- Swifts: dry, safe spots just inside the roof, often where felt is torn or soffit boarding has rotted.
- House martins: mud nests outside under the eaves. They do not usually go into the roof space. The RSPB says a shelf about two metres below can catch droppings.
What to do, in order
- Leave an active nest alone. See can I remove a bird’s nest? for the law.
- Once the young have gone, and ideally in winter, repair or block the gap. The RSPB notes pigeons can nest all year round.
- Offer an alternative: a 32mm-hole box suits house sparrows, a 45mm-hole box suits starlings (BTO), and swifts have their own boxes.
- If building work cannot wait, ask Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales or DAERA for advice before you start. Bats have separate rules; the RSPB points to the Bat Conservation Trust.
Sources
- RSPB: Birds in the roof, opened 14 November 2026.
- BTO: Putting up a nest box, opened 14 November 2026.