THE "box-within-a-box" design of Budgerigar nest-box has been around for a very long time. Tom Lewis, of Bristol has made one or two adjustments, which improve its function. The outer box has an open slot left in Its floor at the entrance hole end. This permits debris to be pushed out as the inner box is slid into position instead of preventing it from fitting properly - as often happens with the basic design. The inner box has no fixed bottom but two strips of wood to support the concave - which effectively forms the floor. This arrangement is also an aid to hygiene in that lifting out the concave makes cleaning very easy.

Nesting box within a box

The large handle used to remove and replace the inner box has a second function. Three different colours are used: colour-coded to indicate the parental reliability of the occupants. A black handle indicates "trustworthy", a grey one means "untried" and a red one  warns Tom that the occupants are known troublemakers. If, in an emergency, fostering is necessary, he can tell at a glance whether a nest is suitable or not.