How to Attract Purple Martins

In North America alone there are over a million purple martin houses. Once you get a colony to nest at your site, they will return every year. That is as longs as you make sure that the houses are properly maintained. Many people who lose their colony often think that the birds died due to a pesticide or storms during the migration period. These birds do not commonly die from these particular issues. The most common reason for losing a colony of martins is the houses themselves. If the houses are not taken care of, then you risk losing the entire colony.

Attracting martins to your houses can be a little difficult for some. There are specific places that you can place your houses to help ensure that you will attract martins. Placing a house too close to a human home will deter a colony from nesting. The ideal distance to place housing for the birds is between 40 to 130 feet from all areas of human contact. You will also want to make sure that the purple martin house is placed around 50 feet from all trees. The martin likes for the house to be placed in an open area. Placing the houses in a clear, tree-free area will give you the best chance for nesting a colony of birds for the breeding season.

A common problem among those who are trying to nest purple martins are other birds taking over the houses. If other birds are allowed to nest in these houses first, then the martins are not likely to stay around. All birds, especially House Swallows and European Starlings, are territorial and will lay claim on their nesting grounds. These birds will chase away the purple martins, and you will most likely lose this particular colony for good.

Remember to keep your houses and gourds properly maintained and keep other species from nesting in them during the off seasons. Removing brush build up from around the houses will also allow you a more optimal chance of having a colony breed in your houses. You will also want to make sure that all your birdhouses or gourds are far enough away from human housing. Martins are very sensitive to their surroundings so you want to make sure you do your best to make your houses the best option to nest.