To be as hospitable as possible to these winged beauties, install your house with a fixed orientation. The good news is that
purple martins
aren’t picky when it comes to direction; north, south, east, and west are all fine, as long as it’s consistent.
How high up do you put a martin house?
The height of an installed purple martin house should be between 12–20 feet The home should be placed at the upper end of that range if there are trees or bushes nearby, but if the area is very open then shorter homes will be just as suitable.
How do you attract martins to a Martin house?
Build a Purple Martin House And, install your martin housing colony on
birdhouse poles
to get them up off the ground and away from ground predators This also applies to
gourd houses
as well which are great to attract martins as well.
How do I attract purple martins to my yard?
In addition to providing appropriate houses for purple martins, supplying proper nesting materials can help encourage them to take up residence. A nearby pile of small twigs,
grass clippings
, and leaves is perfect, and a muddy area is also useful as these birds use mud as a binder to hold their nests together.
Where is the best place to put a Martin house?
Martin houses should be placed in an open location, at least 40 ft. from trees or buildings Martins prefer to have clear access to houses from all sides, and like to have perching sites like utility wires nearby, but not attached to the nest box. The height of the housing can be anywhere from 12-20 ft.
When should purple martin houses be put up?
Don’t put your martin house up until four to six weeks after the first purple martins arrive Or if it’s already in place, keep the holes plugged until then, to exclude starlings and sparrows.
How big should a purple martin house be?
Each purple martin compartment should be at least 6″ x 6″ x 12″ Some martin houses are sold that are only 6″ x 6″ x 6″. Research shows that this is too small for purple martins to lay a full clutch of eggs (up to 7) and raise the young.
How far apart do purple martin houses need to be?
There is no set distance apart the martin housing should be. Fifteen feet apart is enough distance that you can easily maneuver between the two systems, although they can also be farther apart.
What color should a martin house be?
White is the preferred color for purple martin houses White offers maximum reflection of sunlight, which keeps the interior of the house cool so the birds can flourish and raise their young. You can paint the trim, such as the roof line and the ledges below the doors, a different color, but it is not necessary.
Do Martins Eat wasps?
Other flying insects, such as bees, wasps, beetles, mayflies and flying ants make up the majority of their diet Purple Martins are highly vulnerable to extended periods of cold and rainy weather that can temporarily reduce the supply of their insect food.
What month do house martins nest?
The breeding season runs from May to August when insects are abundant, but some chicks are still in the nest in September. The nest is made of pellets of mud mixed with grass, lined with feathers and vegetable fibre.
What is the best nesting material for purple martins?
Martins construct their nests of leaves, grass and feathers. Try offering these supplies hanging about your yard in old suet cages. Or, try our ready-made nesting material for added success. Predator Guards can be installed on the houses to protect from natural predators such as owls, hawks, snakes and raccoons.
Do House martins return to the same nest each year?
Did you know? House martins will return from their African wintering grounds to the same nesting sites each year They can reuse their old nests, saving them about ten days’ work collecting mud.
How do I keep starlings out of my purple martin house?
To help prevent the starlings from nesting at your colony site we recommend using starling-resistant entrance holes (SREH) at your colony site These specific entrances, called: crescent, Excluder, Modified Excluder, Excluder II, and Conley 2 will help keep starlings out of the cavities.
Are purple martins good for the garden?
Convincing these birds to expand their families in one’s backyard is a point of pride for many gardeners They are appealing not only for reducing pesky insect populations, but also for their lyrical singing and playful flying style, both of which are a joy to behold.
How do you hang a purple martin gourd house?
When dry, you can hang your gourd (you’ll need at least 4 to 6 gourds to attract purple martins) from a 24-inch plastic-coated copper wire. Thread the wire through two of the holes directly across from each other and hang it from a support line, below a martin house or on a specially made gourd rack.
How tall should a pole be for a martin house?
Height and Pole Installation The recommended pole height is 12′-20′ The higher the housing is placed, the more susceptible it is to wind damage. Usually, a height of 13′ is the average most landlords use to prevent the pole from being damaged by the wind.
How high does a martin house have to be off the ground?
The ideal height is 10 to 14 feet but it can be much higher if desired. And make certain before purchasing a martin house it can be located in an area at least 40 feet from tall objects such as trees or buildings.
Why do purple martin houses have to be so high?
The house should be on some sort of pulley or winch system so you can raise and lower it easily That way you can clean the house, check on the nestlings and evict any unwelcome visitors like house sparrows and European starlings, points out the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Sources
https://www.wildbirdstoreonline.com/collections/purple-martin-house-poles
https://www.thespruce.com/purple-martin-houses-386646