Purple Martins are the largest species of swallow in North America. These aerial acrobats have steel-blue feathers on their back that look dark purple in flight. Their scientific name is Progne subis. Martins are extremely social birds that nest in colonies, with several pairs often sharing a single nesting site. While they once nested in tree cavities, they have readily adapted to using human-provided nest boxes. Indeed, properly installed and maintained Martin housing is one of the keys to attracting these birds.
What do Purple Martins eat?
Purple Martins are insectivores, meaning they eat only insects. Their diet consists mainly of flying insects like dragonflies, damselflies, flies, midges, mayflies, stinkbugs, leafhoppers, Japanese beetles, June bugs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, cicadas, bees, wasps, flying ants, and ballooning spiders. Martins will occasionally eat aerial plankton as well. A Purple Martin can consume thousands of mosquitoes and other flying insects each day. They selectively hunt larger prey in mid-flight from their high vantage point.
Why attract Purple Martins?
There are several benefits to attracting Purple Martins to your yard:
- Natural pest control – A Purple Martin colony can consume thousands of flying insects each day, helping to control mosquitoes and other pests.
- Free entertainment – Watching the acrobatic flights and social antics of martins is interesting and enjoyable.
- Help wildlife – Providing nest sites helps support the Purple Martin population.
- Part of nature – The sights and sounds of martins nesting brings more wildlife and nature to your yard.
What do Purple Martins need?
To successfully attract breeding Purple Martins, you need to provide:
- Appropriate housing – Purple Martins prefer artificial nest boxes/gourds mounted up high on poles or under eaves. Martins will not use natural cavities anymore in many regions.
- Open surroundings – Martins like wide open spaces around their colonies for easy flight access when hunting insects.
- Nearby water – A pond, lake, or other water source supplies insects and drinking water.
- Food – Plenty of flying insects in the area to hunt and feed their young.
- Safety from predators – Predator guards and poles make it hard for predators to access nests.
If you provide suitable habitat for martins, they will be more likely to take up residence and return year after year. The earlier in the season you have proper housing up, the better your chances.
What type of house do Purple Martins prefer?
Purple Martins overwhelmingly prefer nesting in artificial nest boxes and gourds over natural cavities. The housing should meet these criteria:
- Multiple compartments – Martins like apartments with 6-12 individual units together.
- Easy access – Large oval or crescent-shaped entrance holes about 2″ high allow easy entry.
- Up high placement – Nest boxes work best 14-20 feet up on poles or building sides.
- Weather protection – A roof keeps compartments shaded and dry.
- Predator guards – Guards prevent cats, raccoons, and snakes from climbing up poles and houses.
- Open surroundings – Martins prefer houses with wide open areas all around for flight access.
Proper Purple Martin housing can be purchased, or you can build your own martin house to the proper specifications.
Where should I place a Purple Martin house?
The ideal location to place Purple Martin housing should meet these criteria:
- Open surroundings – Martins prefer their housing in wide open areas with clear flight paths in all directions. They do not like housing surrounded closely by trees.
- Near water – Ponds, lakes, and wetlands supply drinking water and attract flying insects. Housing within 100 yards of water is best.
- Up high – Mount houses 14-20 feet up on an extendable pole or under the eaves of a building up high. This allows easy flight access and reduces predators.
- Eastern exposure – Houses positioned facing east get morning sunlight, which martins seem to prefer. Avoid hot western sun exposure.
- Clear flight – Make sure there are no wires, branches, or other obstructions in the flight paths around the house. Martins need drop spaces below their entrance holes.
Setting up a house properly is key to attracting martins. Make sure the site has open surroundings, is up high on a stable pole, has water nearby, and has clear flight access for the birds.
What is the best time to put up a Purple Martin house?
To increase your chances of attracting Purple Martins, it is recommended to have nest houses up in your intended location by early spring, before the martins return to your region. Here are some general guidelines:
- Northern states – Have housing up by early-mid March before birds arrive.
- Middle states – Have housing up by mid-late March before birds arrive.
- Southern states – Have housing up by early-mid February before birds arrive.
Scout reports track the northward movement of martins during spring migration so you know when they are getting close. Having the housing up early is key so scouts can spot it while assessing nesting locations. Leaving housing up over winter is fine as long as you do annual maintenance.
How do I attract Purple Martins to use the house?
Here are some tips to encourage Purple Martins to use your nest boxes once they are up:
- Have appropriate housing ready before martins arrive in your area during spring migration.
- Make sure the mounting pole and house are stable so they don’t sway around in the wind.
- Keep the entrance holes clean and clear of obstructions.
- Keep compartments clean by removing old nests after each season.
- Set up a protected tray or shelf of fine nest materials (pine needles, wood shavings, etc.) attached below the compartments.
- Install martin vocalizations to attract scouts to investigate your site.
- Offer gourd racks or hollow gourd houses as alternate sites if martins don’t take to box houses.
- Stay patient! It may take a season or two for martins to discover and occupy new sites.
Proper setup and housing maintenance, along with patience, will increase your chances of martins claiming your site. Leaving houses dirty or structurally unsound is a common reason martins may ignore a new house.
What Purple Martin house designs work best?
The most attractive Purple Martin house designs include:
- Multi-compartment houses – Martins nest most readily in houses with 6-12 or more individual compartments together.
- Large oval entrance holes – The holes should be about 2-2.5″ high and at least 1.25″ wide to allow easy entry.
- Subdivided interiors – Interior walls with ventilation between compartments prevent nestlings from wandering between units.
- Extended porches – An extended roof/porch about 6-12″ below the entrance holes gives martins a safe landing zone.
- Easy monitoring – Houses with doors or easy open panels allow quick inspection and seasonal maintenance.
- Strong and durable – Well-constructed from weather resistant materials like exterior plywood, aluminum or plastic.
There are many pre-made martin house designs on the market that incorporate these favored features. Or you can build your own custom martin house to these ideal specifications.
What maintenance does a Purple Martin house need?
To keep Purple Martins returning each year, their housing should receive regular seasonal maintenance:
- Fall/Winter – Clean out old nests, wash/disinfect interior, make any repairs needed before storing indoors for winter.
- Early Spring – Set housing back up in intended nesting spot, replace any damaged compartments, re-paint/seal if needed.
- During Nesting – Monitor compartments for pests and parasites, remove trash martins bring in.
- After Nesting – Clean out all old nests and droppings down to bare wood. Wash, disinfect and let dry before storing for winter.
Routine maintenance keeps housing sanitary for the next nesting season. Check for needed repairs through the year. Keeping extra nest compartment panels on hand lets you quickly replace any that get damaged.
How do I clean a Purple Martin house?
Here is a step-by-step guide to properly clean out Purple Martin nest houses after the nesting season:
- Use gloves and respirator mask for safety when cleaning.
- Remove all old nests, eggshells, and droppings down to bare wood surfaces.
- Remove and clean out nest trays/shelves below entrance holes.
- Use a wire brush to scrub out any remaining debris in compartments.
- Wash out compartments, floors, and trays with a 10% bleach solution to disinfect.
- Rinse surfaces thoroughly and let house dry completely before storing or re-mounting.
- Seal any cracks or holes and repaint/refinish compartment exteriors if needed.
- Replace any deteriorated nest compartments or entrance hole panels.
Deep cleaning annually keeps housing safe and appealing to martins, reducing chances of parasites or disease. Make sure the house is completely dry before re-use or rodents/insects may take up residence over winter.
Do Purple Martins re-use the same nest?
Purple Martins do not re-use old nests from previous years. Some key facts about Martin nesting habits:
- Martins build a completely new nest each breeding season. They do not re-use old nests.
- Females build nests using twigs, grass, feathers, string, or other available natural materials.
- Martins will readily build nests in the provided nest trays/shelves under housing compartments.
- Nests are cup-shaped and about 6 inches across when complete.
- Both males and females help feed nestlings in the compartment they nested in.
- Young martins leave the nest about a month after hatching.
Since martins do not re-use old nesting material, it is important to clean out all old nests, feathers, droppings, etc. from compartments after each nesting season. This helps keep the housing clean and sanitary for next year’s new nests.
Why do Purple Martins abandon their nest?
There are several common reasons why Purple Martins may suddenly abandon an active nesting site:
- Presence of predators – If predators like hawks, owls, crows or snakes take martins, the colony may flee the site.
- Parasites and diseases – An infestation may cause them to abandon and find new housing.
- Insufficient food supply – Nearby insect population crashed so not enough food for nestlings.
- Too much human disturbance – Excess activity near houses stresses nesting birds.
- Severe weather – Extended cold/rainy periods make finding food difficult.
- Nest destroyed – Storms, winds, etc. damaged or destroyed nests.
- Natural nest switching – Martins occasionally switch sites during nesting, splitting up a colony.
Quickly addressing any factors causing nest abandonment can improve chances of martins returning. However, site switching is natural martin behavior, so have patience if they temporarily leave.
Do Purple Martins migrate?
Yes, Purple Martins are long-distance migratory birds. In fall, they migrate in flocks from their breeding grounds across North America to wintering grounds in South America.
- Fall migration begins in August and runs through October.
- They fly south across the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean to Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and other South American regions.
- Martins winter in South America feeding on insects in open habitats near water.
- Spring migration north begins in February and runs through May.
- Martins return to the same nesting sites year after year in the north if suitable housing is available.
Scout martins check out nesting sites first, followed by older birds, with yearlings arriving last. Timing spring housing set-up for just before martins arrive in your area maximizes occupancy. Their migratory nature makes martins temporary summer residents for northern birders to enjoy.
What do Purple Martins eat during migration?
During their migration between North America and South America, Purple Martins feed on insects aloft to fuel their long journeys. Some key foods include:
- Dragonflies
- Damselflies
- Flies
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Bees
- Wasps
- Aerial plankton
Martins feed in flight, catching insect prey on the wing. Their aerial agility and speed allows them to snatch bugs in mid-air. They forage for insects over wetlands, fields, woodlands and backyards along their migration path, finding concentrations of flying bugs to feed on.
Do Purple Martins use birdhouses?
Yes, Purple Martins readily use artificial nest boxes and gourds specifically designed to meet their housing needs. Here are some key facts about martins and birdhouses:
- Martins overwhelmingly prefer artificial nest compartments mounted up high rather than natural cavities.
- Properly designed martin houses have multiple compartments, appropriate entrance hole sizes, porches, etc.
- Gourd style martin houses made from natural gourds or molded plastic are also used in many regions.
- Houses must be thoroughly cleaned out after each nesting season to keep martins returning.
- Martin houses should be up on poles or buildings before martins return each spring.
- Houses left dirty or in poor repair are less likely to attract martins.
With the decline of natural cavities, properly installed and maintained martin birdhouses let you successfully attract martins in your yard. Make sure housing meets the martins particular nesting needs.
What predators eat Purple Martins?
Several predators can threaten Purple Martins and their nests. Common martin predators include:
- Hawks – Especially Cooper’s hawks.
- Owls – Like screech owls.
- Crows – Will raid nests for eggs/nestlings.
- Raccoons – Raid nests at night.
- Snakes – Climb houses to take eggs/young.
- House cats – Your pet may lurk around housing.
- Squirrels – Sometimes take over compartments.
- Starlings – Compete for nest sites.
Proper housing placement, predator guards, and deterrents can help minimize losses. But some predation of adults, eggs, and nestlings is inevitable in nature. The colony may abandon sites with heavy predation.
How do I attract more Purple Martins?
Here are some tips to maximize Purple Martin numbers at your nest site:
- Have appropriate housing up in desired location before martins arrive in spring.
- Clean out old nests and sanitize housing each year after nesting season.
- Make sure housing is structurally sound and doesn’t sway in wind.
- Supply a protected nest material tray for nest building.
- Consider adding a second house or gourd rack the second year.
- Increase flying insect habitat around your yard to provide more food.
- Avoid using pesticides that reduce the insect population.
- Keep housing areas open by pruning back nearby trees.
- Minimize disturbance and activity near housing during nesting.
- Use decoys, recordings, or painted gourds to attract martins.
It may take a season or two for word to spread and martin numbers to build up. With proper ongoing care, more martins should recruit to your site over time.
What sounds or calls do Purple Martins make?
Purple Martins have a diverse array of vocalizations they use to communicate:
- Chortling – Rapid rattling “chert-chert-chert” sounds at the colony.
- Soft chatter – Concatenated “chirrup” notes between mates at the nest.
- Musical song – Warbled song phrases given in flight during courtship.
- Alarm cries – Harsh “chack!” notes when threatened.
- Begging calls – Rising “seep” notes by nestlings seeking food.
- Dawn song – Performed by males at dawn to attract mates.
Martins are quite vocal and the variety of sounds add to the colony’s charm. Certain calls guide their social interactions, while others aid courtship and reproduction.
Do Purple Martins like bird houses?
Yes, Purple Martins love artificial nest boxes and gourds specifically designed to meet their particular housing needs. Here’s why martins are so attracted to proper bird houses:
- Provide safer nest sites up high away from many predators.
- Man-made compartments substitute for scarce natural cavities.
- Multi-compartment houses appeal to their social, colony-nesting habits.
- Modified entrance holes, porches and interior features fit their preferences.
- Offer protection from weather if sited appropriately.
- Easy to customize and tailor to martins’ specific requirements.
- Allow martins to nest in close proximity to humans and backyard habitats.
With natural cavity shortage, customized martin bird houses enable us to successfully attract martins to nest in our yards. They’ve adapted well to properly designed artificial housing.
What are the benefits of attracting Purple Martins?
Attracting breeding Purple Martins to your yard offers these benefits:
- Natural mosquito and flying insect control.
- Watching their graceful flights and aerial maneuvers.
- Observing their social colony dynamics.
- Enjoying their varied songs, chortles and vocalizations.
- Provides important nest sites for the martin population.
- Having a key predator of hawk and crow nestlings.
- Adds an active bird colony to liven your yard.
- Seeing martins raise their young and interact.
In addition to being voracious insect eaters, martins provide free natural entertainment. Their active colonies bring joy as welcome parts of the local ecosystem.
Conclusion
Attracting breeding Purple Martins to nest in your yard is very rewarding. But it does require installing proper housing designed specifically to meet martins’ needs. Keeping colonies safe from predators, maintaining clean housing, and providing open surrounding habitat gives martins what they require. With appropriate boxes, gourds or other nest sites available before spring arrival, martins will take up residence to raise their young while entertaining you all summer long with their aerial antics and social interactions.