Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Purple Martins

Well the Purple Martins are back in strength this year,

Enjoy.

I may try to get Purple Martins again. I tried for four years using a 16 room aluminum house on a telescoping pole and a recorded Purple Martin call. I did bring in a male and two females but they didn't stay. The Martin House is just setting in the pole barn and I need a new telescoping pole but I am thinking of trying this again. In the meantime the Tree Swallows are as fun to watch and eat bugs like the Martins. And they are making new Swallows for the pond.

John,
We put up three houses the last few years and the number of martins showing up has been on the increase every year. Last year we lost one of the houses to a storm, but I will get it back up this year as right now I count over 60 birds living in our 36 rooms! I am hopeful that next year, we should have nearly 100 birds in the 60 rooms we will be providing!!

I think I will stop at 4 houses regardless of the number of birds that show up. At 90 rooms, that should be a lot of chirping!!

I need to build one of those to put one up. How long did it take after putting up the condo before they found your place?

Mine has been up 3 years and still no martins. I've had them land on top, but not stay. I don't know why. It is currently down, and it's due for it's annual bath this week. I looked at where the house is supposed to be at (distance from other buildings, trees and water) and kept other birds away, so I don't know why they didn't like it. Years ago Martins used the house, so maybe it's because it's not new? In any case, I'll try again this year.

IS,
I learned from my Grandmother years ago that the right time for putting up nesting boxes in Texas and Ok was around the 1st of Feb to the 15th of March each year. Also, I clean out my boxes each winter to give the Martins a clean place to raise their young each year.

The first year I put up a single martin house and I got several pairs so the second year I put up two more houses. I then got a lot more nesting pairs. last year, I lost one of the houses to a storm. I have not reflown that house yet because I was looking for a stronger pole to use to raise the houses. This year I have around 60 plus birds nesting in the two houses I have up.

I used several online sources to make sure I flew my Martin houses correctly.

One of them was here:

Top 12 reasons to loose your Martins.

If you look at the map in the middle of this page it will tell you when the scouts arrive to pick their nesting sites.

Scouting Dates

The chirpy birds, as I call them, are a lot of fun to have around. Doing a little for them is easy. The return from them is worth it.

Scott,
Try to clean the boxes earlier each year. If you are just getting ready to clean them now, you are too late. I clean mine in January each year. Also take a look at the Purple Martins site, it should get you going in the right direction with minimal efforts.

Scott,

Too much weapons fire in your area.

It would drive me crazy and I'm not a bird!

Cecil,
My Martins are pretty tolerant of routine "Loud" noises, so that doesn't seem like the problem

But I don't routinely set off seismometer........