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USING DECOYS Purple Martin decoys will increase your chances of attracting Martins due to their desire to colonize with other Martins. Make sure the decoys are up before the first scouts arrive. ERECTING AND CARE OF YOUR MARTIN HOUSE The location of your martin house is very important. Your martin house should be placed in an area that is open for approximately 25 feet on at least three sides. 
Martins have very specific aerial space requirements. Housing should be placed in the center of the most open spot available, about 30-120 feet from human housing. There should be no trees taller than the martin housing within 40 feet, preferably 60 feet. Generally, the farther the housing is placed from trees, the better.
In the southern half of their breeding range, martins are less particular about house placement. Southern landlords can sometimes place housing within 15-20 feet of trees and still attract martins.
Houses should be mounted on a pole and elevated to a height ranging from 12-18 feet from the ground. In order to facilitate easier cleaning of the house, make sure that the pole can be lowered without removing it from the ground. Good ventilation and drainage are a must for the health of your martins. Martin houses that do not offer adequate ventilation and drainage can contribute to the death of young birds. If there is a heavy loss of young, the martins may abandon the house completely. After the martins have left for the season, remove the old nests and clean the house thoroughly. After cleaning, either store the house or, if you are leaving the house up, make sure the entrance holes are blocked. Do not replace the house or unblock the entrance holes until it is time for the scouts in the spring. This will keep unwanted birds from nesting in the house. WAYS TO HELP PURPLE MARTINS AT NESTING TIME You may wish to provide nesting material for your martins. These are some of the items used by martins: twigs, leaves , pine straw, grass, straw and bark. Also, a mud puddle will provide your martins with a source of mud to use as mortar. Supply your martins with dried, pulverized egg shells. Egg shells have a high calcium content and excellent grit properties that the birds do not get from their insect diet. These should be left on an elevated surface in the vicinity of the martin house. Be sure the platform has adequate drainage. ATTRACTING PURPLE MARTINS Birds that lost their housing because it was removed or destroyed between nesting seasons will be looking for new sites. Sometimes landlords with optimal habitat may be able to "steal" martins from housing that is a marginal habitat or that is neglected and overrun with Starlings and House Sparrows. Learning to be both patient (in waiting to attract martins) and persistent (in controlling undesirable birds) during the lengthy time window that runs from the return of adults, most of which are not looking for new breeding sites, through the period when prospecting subadults would begin arriving, is a skill that not all prospective landlords have mastered. As a result of this lapse in efforts, their martin housing can end up full of aggressive nest-site competitors that drive off timid subadult martins. Most housing today lowers easily and opens up for trapping and control of starlings and House Sparrows. In addition, there are now several kinds of starling-resistant entrance holes widely available, and numerous kinds of traps for sparrows and starlings. We recommend that you open your housing up around the dates adult martins are first scheduled to begin arriving in your area, BUT ONLY IF you are willing to follow through with the practices listed here: Use starling-resistant entrance holes. Be relentless in controlling House Sparrows and starlings. We also recommend use of the vocalization recording. Be prepared ahead of time to deal with native nest-site competitors, too, since Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Great Crested Flycatchers and House Wrens may show an interest in your martin houses and gourds. Have boxes and gourds up early for these desirable birds, and if necessary, briefly close martin housing to help "steer" these birds into the appropriate nesting places in your yard. |
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