The public service broadcasting company and the organization for nature and wildlife protection in Finland have in cooperation organized a campaign to get 1,000,000 birdhouses in place in Finnish properties and forests during the time from 1 March 2016 until 20 May 2017. The task is to renovate and clean old birdhouses, to build and install new ones and to register all the bird houses on this website.

At the end of March  2017, the target was already exceeded as there was a total of 1,106,112 houses registered.

Several organizations and private persons have been building nest houses for birds. In many towns, the local authorities, clubs, and schools have arranged common events and get-togethers to build bird houses while enterprises have given wood and other equipment free of charge for the work parties.  The Finnish public service broadcasting company YLE has marketed the campaign in its own nature programs.

Why so many birdhouses?

Even though a major part of Finland’s area is covered by forests, today there are not enough trunks and big trees for hollow-nesting birds. Natural tree hollows are an increasingly scarce so there is a great demand for built bird nests. Because of the cutting of younger forests, there are not enough mature and dead trees for example for woodpeckers to build hollow nests. Common goldeneye, common merganser as well as owls need large trees. Aspen is the most popular tree for hollow nests, and it has become rare especially in actively harvested forests. Willow tit and crested tit are according to the latest estimates considered to be endangered species and also the starling is suffering from the lack of tree hollows. Today, even 50% of owls are having their nest in a box.

Finnish Naturefriends active in building birdhouses

Finnish Naturefriends have been eager to participate in the campaign. They have arranged their own events, in which the families have together built tens of birdhouses and installed them into trees in parks, properties, and forests. The enthusiasm of adults in offering a house for smaller and bigger birds serves as a good example for the younger ones on the protection of nature and animals. Besides fun, it also is an educational opportunity. While listening to birds’ singing near a house or in trekking trips in forests it is nice to tell children which birds are singing and for which birds the houses were made. Also when you have a lot of birdhouses in your garden, it is nice to watch bird life in your own property.

The campaign has been a success and the Finns are keen in entering their birdhouses to the register.

Naturfriends building birdnests

text and photos by Mia Neuvonen, Finnish Naturefriends (TRL)