How To Make A Purple Martin House?

Purple martins are unique birds that flutter beautifully and sing gladly. Whereas most birds have natural, safe nesting grounds, purple martins depend on humans to provide them with places to nest. Over time, natural nesting grounds have become scarce, making it challenging for purple martins to thrive. Setting up a purple martin house is one easy but important step to help these birds survive and enjoy having them in your yard.

It is not about collecting wood or metal to provide a house for these birds but to create an environment that will protect them from predators, comfort them, and ensure the successful nesting process. Being a bird enthusiast or just starting in wildlife conservation, building a purple martin house is one fulfilling experience. In this guide, you’ll learn how to make a practical, safe, attractive home for purple martins to call their own. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Choosing The Right Materials

The type of material used is vital for the safety and comfort of birds.

Best Choice: Wood

Wood is the best material for a purple Martin house. It keeps the house warm in cold weather and cool in summer, insulating it from frost. It is also strong and solid, protecting the house from gushy winds and animals trying to attack.

Alternative Materials

You can use aluminum or plastic if wood is out of the question. However, those materials don't regulate temperature as effectively as wood does. They become unbearably hot in summer and cold in winter. If you do use those materials, make sure to put in some vent holes to avoid overheating.

Step 2: Designing The House

Proper and safe house design is essential. It ought to be comfortable and easy to maintain.

Dimensions

Depth: Make boxes 12 inches deep and 6 inches wide. The deeper box helps prevent predators, like owls and hawks, from reaching the chicks.
Height: It should stand about 12 to 20 feet tall to keep predators like cats and raccoons away from your garden.

Nesting Trays

Add removable trays. These trays help clean and observe. Martins prefer to roost at the back of the enclosure, and adding trays promotes this behavior. Clean trays also prevent parasitization.

Step 3: Choosing The Entrance

The entrance hole is one of the most essential parts of a home.

Circular Openings

A 2-inch hole diameter is suitable. The size will let purple martins in quickly while also letting them in.

Crescent-Shaped Openings

A crescent-shaped hole keeps out starlings, which are serious competitors. Start with a round opening if you're expecting martins for the first time. You can change to crescent-shaped openings once they get used to the house.

Step 4: Considering Alternative Materials

Wood is the favorite material for purple Martin houses because it keeps them warm and durable. Aluminum or plastic may be used as alternatives, but these materials have some disadvantages.

Aluminum and Plastic

Lower Cost: Aluminium and plastic houses are generally less expensive and, therefore, suitable for most bird lovers.

Temperature Extremes: These materials do not keep heat in or out like wood does. This means they can get very hot in the summer or very cold in the winter.

Ventilation: You want to add ventilation holes to make the boxes good for martins so that they do not get overheated during warm weather. Air flows through these holes, keeping the spaces cool and safe for the birds.

Step 5: Installing The House

Installing a purple Martin house requires proper planning to ensure stability and accessibility.

Strong Mounting System

A good wooden Martin house can weigh as much as 80 pounds. To hold it in place safely, use a strong pole and mounting system.

It can withstand strong winds and different kinds of weather to protect the birds.

Winch system

Install a pulley or winch system, as it makes lifting and lowering operations easy. This also simplifies normal maintenance, such as cleaning or scouting for invasive species (like starlings and sparrows). 

Monitoring and Maintenance: Monitoring the chicks is easy, as it shows their condition, making them safe and healthy.

Step 6: Height And Orientation 

The placement of a purple Martin house determines its safety and usability.

Height

The house should be 12 to 20 feet off the ground. That would be safe enough to protect birds from cats and raccoons yet easily accessible for maintenance.

Orientations

Ensure that the house faces in a similar direction, preferably south or southeast, as purple martins prefer a consistent direction to navigate to.

Every year, keeping in the same direction will help adult martins navigate and find their way back to the house at nesting time.

Step 7: Maintenance

The house must be kept for the health and safety of the martins.

During Nesting Season

Observe the house every 5–10 days to review birds' progress and remove invasive species such as sparrows or starlings.

Ensure that their compartments are clean and parasite-free.

Post Nesting Season

Remove all the old nesting material once the martins migrate.

Sweep and mop the house using a mild soap and water solution.

Tips For Attracting Purple Martins

Patience: It takes some time for the purple martins to find a new home, particularly when they do not find any other nest within their vicinity. Let it alone and make the nest clean.

Decoys: Use Martin decoys so that the house will look better.
Avoid Chemicals: Do not apply pesticides or chemicals in the house, as they can harm the birds.

Conclusion

Purple Martin House is exciting and fun for birds and those who appreciate seeing them. With this guide, you can create a safe, welcoming home for purple martins and their babies. Then, you'll be able to sit back and enjoy many happy years of their aerial tricks and melodies.