Purple Martins make wonderful backyard neighbors! Want to learn how to attract them? Start by reading these very important tips.
- Wide Open Space. Purple Martins love wide open spaces . To attract these birds, you will ideally need to be able to place their ‘homes’ in the middle of an area that has 30 to 50 feet of open area on all sides. This helps the birds find you. Plus, it gives additional comfort to the birds as they can keep an eye out for natural predators . Purple Martins especially love to be in areas with close access to water (creek, bay, river, etc).
- Purple Martins need leaves, grass and feathers to build their nests. Having a ‘stash’ of this material around for them is great idea. We have some products on our site that will do just the trick.
- Purple Martins like human beings. They seem to find comfort or safety being around human activity. You will find best success if you place your martin housing withing 100 feet of your own household.
- Keep in mind that Purple Martins are communal in nature – they like to live together in their Purple Martin Houses. Mounting several ‘apartments’ or gourds together about 15-20 feet above ground will keep your birds coming back. Keep vines and wires away from the housing to cut down on predator access.
- There will be rivalry for nesting materials from other birds, specifically house sparrows and starlings. Making sure that the entry hole in your purple martin gourd or house is placed correctly. It should be 1/2 inch or less from the floor of the house with a height of exactly 13/16 inch tall. Also, agressively keep your martin houses clean of any nesting materials from these competiting birds.
Those are some basic tips for those who are ready to start attracting these wondrous birds!
