What they like

Light and clutter. Old orchards, farmyards, parks with big trees, open woodland edges. And above all: cavities. Hang up nest boxes (opening ± 3.2 cm), preferably on a quiet wall or tree, 2–4 metres high. Leave dead branches and a ragged trunk standing: free housing. Don’t make it too tidy. A messy corner with a brush pile, a stack of wood and some scrub is ideal.

Ecological importance

An insect-hunter with taste. Takes flies, beetles, caterpillars and spiders; in late summer also berries. Feeds its young from the smorgasbord in your garden. It’s also on the menu for sparrowhawks and cats, so give it cover: dense shrubs and hedges.

When in the Netherlands

Summer visitor. Usually from April, gone by September.

Status

Breeding bird. Declined compared with the 1970s, but the trend in recent years is increasing again (nice to see). You can help easily: more insects, more cavities, less tidying up.