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.
When should I put out my purple martin house?
Purple martins will readily find nesting sites that are in proper locations. Nest boxes should be in place preferably in late March, but no later than April 15. Erect nest boxes on a pole at a height of 12 to 20 feet. Place boxes in open areas so that birds have access to them from all sides.
Where is the best place to put a martin birdhouse?
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.
How do I attract purple martins to my Martin house?
Keep purple martin nests in an open space, between forty and 120 feet away from any nearby residences. Install housing on a telescoping pole. Setting your nesting box up high gives you the best chance of attracting purple martins. Anchor a telescoping pole in concrete and attach the birdhouse on top.
How do you keep sparrows out of purple martin houses?
How to Control Sparrows in Martin Houses
Monitor nests. Every week take the time to lower the pole and inspect the purple martin houses. Trap sparrows. Many companies make sparrow traps that resemble common nesting sites. Kill sparrows. Board up the birdhouse until sparrows leave.
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 direction should a birdhouse opening face?
What direction should a birdhouse face? A birdhouse and its entrance hole should face away from prevailing winds. In the United States, it’s very common for a birdhouse to face east, which is often faced away from the prevailing wind and the strong afternoon sun.
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.
Do purple martins and bluebirds get along?
And these birds are fierce competitors to the martin. Also, Tree Swallows and Bluebirds might nest in a martin house as well. But, unlike Sparrows and Starlings, Tree Swallow and Bluebirds can co-habitat with Purple Martins.
How far off the ground should a martin house be?
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.
What do martins look like?
Adult males are iridescent, dark blue-purple overall with brown-black wings and tail. Females and immatures are duller, with variable amounts of gray on the head and chest and a whitish lower belly. Purple Martins fly rapidly with a mix of flapping and gliding.
Do purple martins prefer gourds or houses?
We recommend it with SuperGourds, but any kind of gourds can be used. Location is crucial for purple martins. Their houses need to be in an open area so they can sail straight into the houses from at least two directions. Put their house in the middle of your biggest open area.
Do decoys help attract purple martins?
Decoys are believed to increase the chances of attracting breeding Purple Martins by helping to create the illusion of genuine colony-site activity. This gives scouts the confidence to stay and nest. These decoys come with instructions and all hardware necessary for mounting.
Where do purple martins sleep at night?
They are inside by dark and stay inside until dawn or later. I understand that in the south it is more common for male martins to sleep outside their compartments, usually roosting in trees at night. However, female martins must stay in their compartment to incubate eggs and brood their young.
Will purple martins run off other birds?
The martins will not run them off, and they often break martin eggs and peck nestling martins, killing them and tossing them from the house.
Will purple martins run off starlings?
NO they do not coexist well at all, a starling will kill any martin in a heartbeat to get their nest, eggs, young, etc. You should either get a trap or start shooting the starlings in your area or they will pose a sincere threat to your martins.
How do you starling a martin house?
We often advise people to offer 1 or 2 round entrances on the side of the housing THAT YOU CAN EASILY MONITOR, as starlings will quickly take over any round openings on the more hidden side of your housing. Having the round entrances be easily visible makes any trapping much easier.
