Purple Martin - Progne subis

The attraction between Purple Martins and man can be traced back to the Native Americans. They we the first people to entice Purple Martins to nest within their villages by hanging hollowed out gourds from their dwellings. The early colonists were quick to adopt this custom which continues today. Martins are sought after for good reason. They are friendly birds, preferring to nest close to man. In fact, they are the only bird species in eastern North America totally dependant on human-supplied nest boxes. Purple Martins have fascinating social behavior, are extremely graceful in flight, have beautiful songs, and consume vast quantities of insects. While they do eat some mosquitoes, claims that they eat thousands of them daily are and exaggeration. Their diet mainly consists of moths dragonflies, winged ants, flies, wasps, bees, and some mosquitoes.

Here are the best tips for attracting this beneficial bird to your yard:

Place the Martin House on a pole 12’ -20’ tall in the center of the largest opening in your yard. There should be no trees or buildings within 30’ - 40’ in any direction. It
helps if you live within a mile of fresh water -a pond, creek, river or lake.

House can be wooden or metal-the martins don’t seem to care. However, the house should be white to reflect the sun’s heat. The Martins even prefer white houses. Unquestionably, aluminum houses are lighter-weight and thus, easier to
raise and lower. Starlings and House Sparrows must not be allowed to nest in your Martin House. Their aggressiveness will prevent the Martins for establishing a
colony. You must clean out the intruder’s nest and plug the holes of the house if you notice their return. This is critical to your success.

In Dallas, older adult Purple Martins returning to previous nest sites typically begin arriving from South America in mid-February. These first arrivals are rarely
attracted to new houses. The best timing for putting up a new house is 4-5 weeks after the first Martins arrive. At that time, the young Martin yearlings will return
eager to find new nesting sites. New housing can even be put up as late as June and still attract nesting Martins. The house should be taken down in early
September, then cleaned and stored for winter.

The return of Purple Martins in mid-February means for us that spring is on the way. With a little effort, Purple Martin majesty can adorn your backyard garden!

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