How to Build a Purple Martin House Out of Gourds

Gourds are the original purple martin bird house, hung by Native Americans around their camps to keep the bug population down via the friendly purple martin's eating habits. Gourds are still used today to make purple martin houses and are an important part of protecting the purple martin species in North America. Purple martins are under threat from aggressive introduced bird species like the European starling; help your neighborhood purple martins out by making your own gourd houses just for them.

Things You'll Need

  • Dry gourds
  • Water
  • Bucket
  • Detergent
  • Metal spoon
  • Drill, various size bits
  • Wood preservative
  • Primer, oil based
  • Paintbrush
  • Enamel paint
  • Wire
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Instructions

    • 1

      Soak the gourd in hot, soapy water for 15 minutes. Scrape off the skin from the outside of the gourd using the edge of the spoon handle. Let the gourd dry out again.

    • 2

      Hold the gourd by the stem, as if it were hanging on wire. Find a spot on the belly of the gourd where a hole can be drilled that will face directly outward. Drill a hole using a 2-inch drill bit.

    • 3

      Dig out the insides of the gourd through the hole, using the spoon. Shake out any remnants, then dip the whole gourd in wood preservative, making sure it is entirely submerged for 15 minutes. Hang the gourd to dry for a minimum of three days.

    • 4

      Paint the outside of the gourd in primer; let dry. Pain two coats of enamel-based paint in white over the primer on the outside of the gourd; let dry.

    • 5

      Drill three small holes around the bottom of the gourd and four on the neck; two for ventilation and two for the hanging wire.

    • 6

      Leave to dry and air out for three more days before hanging the gourd with wire through the wire holes made earlier.