Purple Martin Frequently Asked Questions
What do I feed martins to attract them?
Nothing! Purple Martins eat only flying insects. They will not come to your feeder, birdbath or fountain. During nest building season you may place crushed eggshells near the nest. Eggshells will provide the necessary calcium for their own egg production.
How high should the pole be?
From 10 to 12 feet high and martins will take up residence. Many years ago it was believed that the pole should be at least 18 to 25 feet high.
The ideal is to have it high enough for the birds to be comfortable but low enough for us to enjoy them. There have been cases where a house was only five feet off the ground and had plenty of martins. Our pole will extend to 12 feet above the ground and telescope down to five feet for cleaning and maintenance.
Is it too late to put up a house this year?
No! Anytime is a good time to install a martin house. Even if the birds have been around for awhile, They see the house and chances of a good colony increase for next year. If you put it up too late for the current season they will come back next year and possibly nest. We have seen martins begin nesting as late as the second week in May in Louisiana and have reports of birds beginning nesting in New Jersey and Ohio as late as mid June.
Are martins messy?
Martins are probably the cleanest bird around. They are known for going away from the nesting yard for dropping excrement. They will also take the nestling excrement sacs away from the nest and drop them in open areas. (away from your picnic table and car, we hope!)
I had birds a few years ago, but they don't seem to be coming around anymore. Are there as many martins as there use to be?
Yes, even more. Possibly you have a wooden house, because of the heat factor, the birds favor the cooler aluminum house. The characteristics of aluminum cause heat to dissipate, which keeps the compartments cooler. Many people associate metal houses with the steel in a car body. The alternator in your automobile is made of aluminum, which protects the electronic components from the heat. Wood is an insulator and absorbs the rays of the sun, making the house very hot during the long summer. The survival rate is much better in aluminum houses versus wooden or gourd structures. The lack of martin activity around your house may be from trees growing too close to the house. Trim the limbs at least 25 feet from the house but preferably 40 feet. If there is a possibility of a snake visit to your house, it can affect the birds for as long as five years. Wash the house with soap and vinegar and rinse well to remove the smell of the snake.
How can I keep the sparrows out of the martin houses?
Wildlife conservationist ask us to do anything and everything we can to eliminate sparrows. They were not native to this country and should never have been brought here. Sparrows are extremely prolific and persistent with nest building. You need to be most persistent with nest removal. We make it easy to remove them from the houses by providing:
1. Telescoping poles to lower the house to eye level.
2. Hinged doors to open and clean the nests out easily.
3. Door plugs to close the compartments for the winter, when the martins are in Brazil.
If you take the nest out too early, the sparrow will go elsewhere to lay the eggs and raise their young. REMEMBER, the sparrow is treacherous and will do great harm to the young martins by pecking their eyes out and other cruel things. The martin nest will be flat, generally no higher than the threshold and will have leaves and possibly mud around the entrance. The sparrow nest will completely fill the compartment and have a little hole leading to the back of the nest where they lay their eggs. Generally, the sparrow nest is made of straw, grass pieces, feathers, and bits of paper etc. The sparrow egg is smaller than a martin egg and is brown speckled. The martin egg is pure white.
I have bluebirds nesting in my martin house. Is this common?
Not common, but unusual. This does happen when you have bluebirds in the area and not enough housing designed for them. They prefer single housing units on a six foot pole or fence. If you don't have a place for them, they will adapt to the martin house and nest there. Many people enjoy this beautiful bird and allow them to stay. They don't seem to pose a problem to the martins and we recommend you allow them to continue nesting, but do plan to place bluebird housing up as soon as possible.
I think I have martins nesting under my patio!
Martins do not nest under roofs of patios or barns. The bird you see is a barn swallow. It is smaller than a martin and is blue on the back and has a rust colored throat and cream breast. It is a member of the swallow family, as is a martin, but smaller than a martin. The martin and barn swallow are both desirable birds for insect control.
Does it bother the martins when I do nest checks?
NO! You will do the martins a great service by checking the nest regularly, especially if you have nesting sparrows in the house. Sparrow nests must be removed regularly. Also, we encourage you to allow children to see and even touch the martins during the entire nesting cycle. This will help the children take an interest in the birds and care for them in the future. Remember, the martin is "people oriented" unlike most other birds who may abandon the nest if touched. The martins trust humans and will immediately begin feeding their young as soon as you finish the nest check. You will have a healthier colony of birds if you check on them at least once a week.
How do I keep owls and hawks from getting my martins?
You should install predator guards on your houses. This may consist of a fence mounted around the porches to keep large birds from entering the porch area, thereby eliminating the chance of them reaching in and getting your young martins.
What is the life cycle of the fledglings? Martins will nest only one time per year in the spring, and nesting begins a few weeks after arrival. They lay from 1 to 6 eggs in a clutch, but normally average four eggs per nest. Incubation for martin eggs is usually 16 days. From hatchlings to fledging is normally 28 days. The parents will continue to feed fledglings for about two more weeks, or until they are able to catch food for themselves. Young birds continue to return to the nest site each night until they leave for the migratory flight to Brazil. A good percentage will come back to the same house each year.
Will I get martins immediately if I put up a house?
It is possible if you have the right conditions for them. Also, if you are in an area that is already attracting them, your chances are greater. Sometimes it takes a season are two to begin attracting them if they are not accustomed to coming around your neighborhood. Make sure you have clearance from tree limbs before erecting you house.
I found a young martin on the ground. What do I do with it?
Normally the parents will attend the fallen youth. However, if it is in a yard with animals it is wise to try to find the nest it came from. If you don't know where it belongs, you may find a nest with other nestling that appear to be the same age/size as the fallen one. The mother will feed all hungry mouths in her nest.
Where do the martins go when they leave my place?
After martins have completed their nesting activity and have the young ones flying, they begin congregating for the flight back to Brazil for the winter. They will gather in small groups, and then larger groups until they are in very large groups in different parts of the country. For example, in the Louisiana flyway, which serves the central part of the United States, the birds from Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Canada etc. will gather in smaller groups in these areas and then larger groups in Arkansas, then even larger gatherings (one million or so) in Shreveport, Louisiana en route to the giant gathering at the Ponchartrain Bridge in New Orleans. From there, they will launch out across the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. These migration patterns usually begin in July and continue through August of each year. The martins do not house in Brazil. They do go through molting and build up their body to return to your backyard the next season.