A
nest box, also spelled
nestbox, is a man-made enclosure provided for animals to
nest in. Nest boxes are most frequently utilized for
birds, in which case they are also called
birdhouses or a
birdbox/
bird box, but some
mammalian species may also use them. Placing nestboxes or roosting boxes may also be used to help maintain populations of particular species in an area. The nest box was invented by the British conservationist
Charles Waterton in the early 19th century to encourage more birdlife on the
wildfowl and
nature reserve he set up on his estate.