How to have Martin Bird Houses that Attract Purple Martins

Creatures of habit, purple martins migrate to South America for the winter and return to North America for the warmer months to breed. West of the Rocky Mountains, purple martins typically nest in trees in wooded areas. East of the Rockies, purple martins nest in man-made bird houses. To attract purple martins to the bird house in your landscape, a purposeful design, location and upkeep are necessary.

Things You'll Need

  • Bird house specifically for martins
  • Long pole
  • Hose
  • Newspaper or cork
  • White paint
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase or make your own bird houses that are well-suited for purple martins, containing several nesting areas, each with at least two openings, 6 by 6 inches of floor space, and a ceiling height of 4 inches. Make sure openings are between 2 and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. A porch located outside each opening and at least as wide as the opening is also attractive to purple martins, according to Alabama Cooperative Extension.

    • 2

      Install a purple mountain bird house in the center of an open space with a minimum distance of 30 feet from buildings that humans frequent, such as your home and garage. Perch the bird house on top of a tall pole with no wires connecting it to another structure. Trees within 40 feet should be shorter than the bird house.

    • 3

      Keep the area under the birdhouse clear from debris, shrubs, wood piles and tall grass. An open area under the bird house is less likely to harbor predators, such as snakes and raccoons. Install a pole guard around the pole to keep predators from climbing the pole. Purple martins may vacate a bird house if a predator gets into their home.

    • 4

      Clean out the house of all nesting material after the purple martins leave the houses to migrate south. Repair any damaged parts and repaint the house white if the color is dingy. Trim can be painted any color.

    • 5

      Plug or close bird house entrances to keep unwanted birds from nesting during the off-season. Store-bought bird houses often have plugs for this purpose. You can also use tightly crumpled newspaper or cork to fill the openings.

    • 6

      Unplug or open up the bird houses four to six weeks after the first purple martins are spotted in your area, usually between January and May, with the earliest sightings starting in the south. The first wave of birds is likely not looking for a new home. Opening up the house too soon allows other types of birds to nest there. In all areas, though, keep your house open through the month of June. If you don't have purple martins by then, close the up the holes and wait until next year.