![]() Check to see when you should have your Purple Martin bird house ready for new arrivals.During our 23-plus years at Hilton Pond Center, we've found nests for 24 bird species for another 39 we've captured and banded females with active or recent incubation patches that imply breeding on-site or nearby. ![]() The excellent scout report map tracks Purple migration into the United States and shows where Martin arrivals have been recorded so far this year. Scouts are the first Purple Martins to arrive in an area in the Spring. ![]() View the Purple Martin Conservation Association's In July and August, this year's young will be scouting new nesting sites for next year. Martins sometimes arrive and begin nesting as late as the end of June. If you don't get nesting pairs in early spring, don't give up. You should raise and open your purple martin housing when the first martins (scouts) start to arrive in the spring. Purple Martin houses should be mounted at a height of 10 to 20 feet. ![]() There should be no trees taller than the martin house within 40 feet, preferably 60 feet. Purple Martin houses should be placed in the most open spot available, about 30 to 120 feet from human housing. The Purple Martin Conservation Association offers the following guidelines for placing a martin house on your property: Martin houses must be placed in a location that provided adequate room for the birds to fly around and catch insects, but they should not be placed too far away from human houses. Purple Martins are very particular about their housing needs. To protect your martins from predators, use a predator guard on the martin house pole. The poles on which martin houses are placed can be climbed by predators such as squirrels, raccoons, and snakes. Hosing that can be raised and lowered with telescoping poles or with a pulley and winch are the most practical. Purple martin housing needs to be mounted high above the ground (10 to 20 feet), so it is important to mount houses in a way that they can be easily raised and lowered for maintenance and inspection. A hole size of 2 1/8" is recommended by the Purple Martin Conservation Association. Entrance holes should be about 1 inch above the floor. Compartment height should be from 5 inches to 7 inches high. The minimum nest compartment floor area should be 6 inches x 6 inches. White housing attracts reflects the heat of the sun, keeping the nest cooler - and white houses seem to attract martins the best. Martin houses and gourds should be painted white. Gourds for martin housing can be made of actual dried "birdhouse" gourds or manmade "gourds." Housing for martins should be provided in the form of multiple apartment martin houses or groups of gourds. Purple martins nest in colonies of several pairs of birds. Therefore, a great way to attract Martins and help with Purple Martin conservation efforts, is to provide appropriate Purple Martin housing. Purple Martins are the only bird species in the eastern half of North America that is entirely dependent on human supplied nesting cavities for reproduction. Would-be Martin landlords should exercise patience when trying to lure these insect eating songbirds to their yard. Martins nest in colonies and their aerobatics as they catch insects on the fly, makes them popular backyard birds.Īttracting Purple Martins can be challenging. Many people try to attract these active birds to nest in their yards. Purple Martins look black, with a purple sheen. Purple Martins are the largest member of the swallow family found in North America.
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