Purple martins nest in colonies of 2 to 200 pairs.
And the better we can fulfill their needs, the more likely they are to become our tenants. (Click the picture for a larger version of it.) With proper care, the colony will grow larger year by year.įortunately, a lot of people have been studying exactly what purple martins require. The young males will look mottled, as shown in Chuck Abare's picture at left. The second year, your first tenants' offspring may return with them as well. (Click the picture for a larger version of it.) The photo at left, of an adult male at left, was taken by Chuck Abare, whose website has loads of information about purple martins. By that time the males will be in their glossy blue-black plumage, and they will look handsome as they perch on their houses. The next year, the same birds will return. Once a pair of purple martins accept our housing and raises a family in it, our colony is on its way. Until that happens, we're just wannabe landlords. Getting the first purple martins to move in. And if you fulfill their needs, you have a good chance of purple martins moving in to the housing you provide.įor those of us who are just starting out with purple martins, there is a certain amount of anxiety as we eagerly await the first pair of martins to accept our housing and begin their nest.īecause that's the name of the game. 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.If you live in North America east of the Rockies, purple martins probably nest somewhere fairly nearby. In addition to providing appropriate houses for purple martins, supplying proper nesting materials can help encourage them to take up residence. Birdhouses for purple martins must be placed 30-120 feet away from large trees and other structures to give them plenty of space for feeding. Both apartment-style houses and gourd houses are available, and creating clusters of houses will encourage large colonies of the birds to nest.
The birds will be naturally attracted to homes painted white, which also reflect heat better and keep nestlings in each house cooler. Nesting Sites: You can attract purple martins by putting up appropriate purple martin houses. They are colonial nesters and large birdhouses with multiple compartments are best to meet their needs.Tall poles with antenna-like structures on top are excellent perches for purples martins. A few scattered, open perches will be welcome, however, as the birds will use those vantage points to watch for threats, scan for food, or roost between feedings. It is easiest to attract purple martins to open areas with little shelter, as the birds will be more secure when they have a good visual range to survey. Shelter: Purple martins take shelter almost exclusively in artificial houses, and they will avoid brush piles and dense plantings for fear of lurking predators.Fortunately, these water sources can be several hundred yards away for purple martins to still use easily. Otherwise, it is easiest to attract purple martins if there are nearby natural water sources such as a retention pond, drainage ditch, golf course water feature, or similar water source. If you have enough room to put in a large water feature, choose an elongated design that gives purple martins adequate room for this fly-by drinking. A large, long pond, lake, or stream is the best source since these birds drink in flight by scooping their bills into the water as they pass by. Water: All birds require some source of water, and purple martins prefer large, natural water sources instead of bird baths.Providing eggshells (dried and briefly toasted to be sterile and brittle) can encourage nesting purple martins to linger nearby. They will also eat finely crushed eggshells as a calcium supplement during the nesting season. Having a secluded source of this gravel nearby can help attract the birds. On rare occasions, purple martins will eat fine gravel to use as grit to aid their digestion.
Once the purple martins take up residence and start devouring pests, your insect problems will disappear. Instead, birders should avoid spraying insecticides or pesticides on lawns, trees, or shrubs, since doing so will eliminate the most important food source these birds require.
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