Avoid south-facing birdhouses—for the nestlings’ sake

Ten-day-old baby birds are able to maintain their regular body temperature despite nest box temperatures of 50 degrees C or above. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden now report that nestlings pay a high price for regulating their body temperature—they grow less. Therefore, the recommendation when putting up a nest box should be to avoid hot, south-facing locations and choosing a spot in the shade.