What is the best house for purple martins?
What is the best house for purple martins?
Whether you choose gourd houses or an apartment-style birdhouse, offer six to 12 cavities. Purple martins are one of the only birds that will tolerate swaying birdhouses. Place the purple martin house in an open area that is 40 to 60 feet away from trees and at least 12 to 18 feet above the ground.
What direction should a purple martin house face?
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. 6.
How high off the ground do martin houses need to 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.
Do purple martin houses need to be cleaned out every year?
At the beginning of fall, it’s time to take down your Purple Martin house for a thorough cleaning and to prevent other birds from taking over. First, remove all the nesting material from the house and scrape off any residue from the sides of the wall.
When should you put up a martin house?
Don’t put your martin house up until four to six weeks after the first purple martins arrive. Once purple martins have used a martin house, they will return to it year after year. All you have to do is clean it out in fall, protect it from starlings and sparrows, and perhaps repaint it white every few years.
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.
How do I attract martins to my yard?
How to Attract Purple Martins to Your Garden
- Construct housing in an open area. As wild birds, purple martins are more likely to nest in an area that isn’t too close to human housing.
- Install housing on a telescoping pole.
- Keep predators at bay.
- Deter other bird species.
- Use a little trickery.
What time of year do purple martins nest?
spring
Martins will nest only one time per year in the spring. The nesting begins a few weeks after arrival. They lay from 1 to 6 eggs in a clutch, but normally average four eggs per nest.
How do I attract purple martins to my 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 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.
How do you attract martins to a Martin house?