What do I feed martins to attract them?
Nothing! Purple Martins eat only flying insects. They will not come to your feeder, bird bath or fountain.
How high should the pole be?
From 10 to 12 feet high and martins will take residence. Many years ago, it was believed that the pole should be at least 18 to 25 feet high. The ideal Height is to have it high enough for the birds to be comfortable but low enough for us to enjoy them. Our poles will extend 12-14 feet 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. Put up your house even if it is late for the current season and it will increase your odds of the Martins coming back next year and nesting!
I had Purple Martins 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. Here are some possible reasons for a lack of Martins: Predation by snakes, raccoon, cat, squirrel, owls or hawks. Ask us for some tips and keeping predators away. Tree encroachment is the second biggest reason people lose their martins. As the trees in your yard grow taller and closer, it decreases the preferred "openness" of the airspace surrounding the martin house. Trim the limbs at least 25 feet from the house but preferably 40 feet. Housing not reoriented to the same compass direction after a nest check. When landlords with telescoping poles fail to mark their poles with vertical alignment marks to assure correct realignment after a pole lowering, the potential for disaster is great. Martins only recognize their own nest compartment by its height, relative position and compass direction. If a house is repositioned martins will go into the compartment in the position that WAS their own and perhaps find nestlings, when all they had was eggs. In such a case, they may throw out the foreign young. While looking for their nests they will "trespass" into the compartments of others, often resulting in battles. The end result can be reproductive failure for the entire house which typically leads to total colony-site abandonment.
How can I keep sparrows out of the martin houses?
We recommend lowering the house every 7 to 10 days for sparrow nest removal. The idea is to allow time for the sparrow to lay the eggs. If you take the nest out too early, the sparrow will go elsewhere to lay the eggs and raise their young. Use telescoping poles and houses with hinged doors to open and clean the nests out easily. Use door plugs to close the compartments for the winter, when the martins are in Brazil. Use of sparrow traps will also be helpful.
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. We encourage you to allow children to see and touch them 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.
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 4 eggs per nest. Incubation for martin eggs is usually 16 days. From hatchling to fledgling 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 sight each night until they leave for the migratory flight to Brazil. A good percentage will come back to the same house each year.
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 nestlings excrement sacs away from the nest.
Where do the martins go when they leave my place?
After the 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. The Louisiana flyway serves the central part of the United States and the birds from Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri etc. will gather in smaller groups in these areas and then larger groups in Arkansas and even larger groups (one million or so) in Shreveport, Louisiana en route to the giant gathering at the Pontchartrain 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 while in Brazil. They do go through molting and build up their body to return to your backyard the next season!
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