Nest box cameras - lighting

[Swifts (SOS)]

Morning all

There’s a bit of a debate going on here with regard to nest box camera lighting. 

Has anyone experience of either nighttime IR or daytime camera lights putting birds off from nesting, displacing them to unmonitored nest boxes for instance?

Very best wishes

Eddie

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[Storrington Swifts]

Hi Eddie,

Definitely not an expert and I know many experts have no problem with box lights. We recently installed our first box with a light (Blink camera with IR light) and when it went on the bird appeared horrified and threw itself into the corner of the box facing the corner. I continued to monitor for signs of its reaction becoming less extreme and after at least 6 occasions and no sign of improvement, I chickened out and turned it off. I don't know if it was just a particularly nervous bird or whether if I had persevered it would have got used to it but I just didn't want to take the risk. It was our first occupied box of the project so it is very precious. 

I'll be very interested to hear what others say. 

Julie 

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[Alistair]

I turned the light off and just use the infra red but in the church boxes this year I’ve used a light with a bit of insulation tape over it and the pair seem quite happy…I was hoping to remove the light but the way it is set up I din’t have the time to remove it….

David Lack talks about the swifts getting used to the light if I remember correctly in Swifts in the Tower…

Cheers

Alistair

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