Duck nest tubes – what you need to do and when
Now is the perfect time to think about taking part in BASC’s duck nest tube project to assist mallard and other duck species, says BASC’s Sophie Stafford.
Record your BASC duck nest monitoring project findings
Now is the time to whip out those notebooks and start recording your duck nest tube findings. However, don’t rush to submit your data just yet – your patience could reward you with a brilliant piece of kit.
Now is the time to start monitoring duck nest tubes
The duck nest monitoring project launched in 2021 and encourages land managers, shooters and conservationists to contribute to mallard conservation by monitoring nesting success in artificial nest tubes.
Recording your findings is key to the project, but please hold off from sending your results to us until mid-July. This is because mallards sometimes raise a second brood later in the year, and we would like to have a full picture of how they got on.
BASC’s scientific advisor, Sophie Stafford, explains: “The data we receive from participants of this project is invaluable. By waiting until the end of the breeding season to submit observations, we ensure that the data is complete, capturing all breeding attempts at each site. This helps us better understand mallard nesting success and factors that influence it, while contributing to positive conservation outcomes.”
When should you submit data to enter the prize draw?
This year the project invites all individuals who monitor duck nest tubes – whether self-built or provided by BASC – to submit their nest observations from the 2025 breeding season. In return, we will enter you into a draw to win a ZEISS Secacam 3 trail camera, ideal for monitoring wildlife.
The prize draw is open to all participants who submit their observations via the online form between 14 July and 26 September 2025.
Last year’s prize draw saw Robert Gooch of Ipswich win a SpyPoint trail camera. Robert wasted no time in putting the camera to use last year, saying: “I found the results from it fascinating. I use it to check what is visiting my pheasant feeders and will set it up for watching my duck tube in the spring.”
How to enter the duck nest monitoring prize draw
To be in with a chance of winning this year’s prize, you will need to:
- monitor your duck nest tubes throughout the 2025 breeding season (a pocket notebook can be handy for keeping track of what you see)
- ensure mallard breeding on your site(s) has ended before submitting your observations
- submit your observations via the online form
- make sure you submit your data between 14 July and 26 September 2025 and tick the ‘opt-in’ box at the end of the form to enter the draw.
The project in more detail
Since its launch, BASC has installed 500 nest tubes across the UK. These are now monitored by diligent members of the shooting community.
The duck nest monitoring project is a collaborative effort between several north-west European hunting organisations. Together they form the Waterfowlers’ Network, with BASC being the UK representative.
The project aims to improve nesting success, with hatching success rates as high as 90 per cent in occupied nest tubes. Its goal is to contribute to scientific research on mallard breeding across the flyway.
Find out more about how you can get involved in the duck next monitoring project here.
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