Please note shipping requirements: This box must be delivered on a pallet incurring a minimum shipping charge of £35.00 plus VAT for standard delivery in the U.K. We will advise you of the actual cost by email before we process your order.
The 1MF contains two nesting chambers for Swifts, each with its own entrance, allowing two pairs to breed and successfully raise their young separately from each other but in the same box. In addition a recess in the rear panel creates a space between the wall of the building and the box, making it ideal for bats that inhabit buildings, such as the Pipistrelle. If desired, the swift compartments can be accessed via a removable front panel. The bat recess at the rear requires no maintenance because the droppings simply fall out.
Ideally the box should be at least 6 to 7 m above the ground with an unobstructed access for birds entering and leaving the box. A clear distance (drop) below the box is recommended (preferably 5 m or more). The nest box is made from Schwegler wood-concrete; an exceedingly durable, rot-proof and breathable natural material designed to mimic the properties of natural nest sites.
Mount ON or IN exterior walls
For mounting on the surface of exterior walls, the 1MF box comes with a specially shaped galvanised metal mounting plate that is screwed to an external wall of the building, from which the box is then hung.
Alternatively, with the addition of an optional bat slope, the 1MF can be built directly into the brickwork of a wall, with the box flush with the face of the wall. The bat slope still allows access to the rear for bats. This is often preferable for listed buildings or for other architectural reasons. The Bat Slope is fixed in place first and the 1MF then positioned above it.
1MF internal dimensions:
* Nest chambers: 17 x 36 x 16 cm (height x width x depth) each.
* Bat recess: 42 x 35 x approx. 3.5 cm (height x width x depth)
1MF external dimensions:
* Overall dimensions: height 46 x 43 x 22.5 cm (height x width x depth)
* Weight: 24 kg.
Bat Slope:
* Dimensions: 25 x 43 x 22.5 (height x width x depth)
* Weight: 13.5 kg.
Combined 1MF and Bat Slope:
* Dimensions: 70 x 43 x 22.5 cm (height x width x depth)
* Weight: 37.5 kg
Schwegler nests will last decades and are readily adopted by birds. This means decades of breeding success in real life conditions. These nest boxes have been developed in close collaboration with leading ornithologists, nature conservation organisations, Government conservation agencies and forestry experts, and are backed up by decades of experience and knowledge. In each nest box the size of the brood chamber, diameter of the entrance hole and many other features have been adapted to the needs and behaviour of the animals themselves. Experiments by bird protection organisations worldwide have demonstrated that the highest density of bird populations (i.e., breeding pairs per hectare) is achieved with Schwegler nest boxes.