Last year in April I put up an 18 room Martin House. I knew from my research it would take a minimum of a year, maybe two to attract at least one pair of Purple Martins.

Last year in May I personally witnessed four Martins checking it out! Hopefully, they did more when I wasn't around.

Yesterday we cleaned out the Martin House and put it back up. We also put up my youngest son's Bluebird box on a fence post in the horse pasture. We've had good luck with the Bluebirds with other boxes. This box was from his Cub Scout project. I think this box will do well also. It is 300 feet from any other box. As you know, Bluebirds are highly territorial.


Message was edited by: Rockfish

I help my Dad put up one about that size up about a month ago. He is hoping that the martins will eat all of the stink bugs we usually get. He also built 2 smaller houses, one for his mother and one for a neighbor. Next he has got to replace all of the bluebird houses he lost to Katrina.

Martin's eat stinkbugs?!?!?!?!?

Rockfish,

As a Scout leader I'm sure you have already read this, but it has 'PM diet info.' & 'abandon nest possible causes info.' and much more...

Purple Martin Conservation Society 'link':
http://www.purplemartin.org/main/mgt.html

I hope! Nothing else seems to eat the vile tomato sucking ,crop defiling vermin. Back before I went organic I sprayed one with Sevin and Malathion till he nearly drowned. He got up and flew over to the okra and started sucking on them instead.

Purplebean,

Thanks, most of it I've already read, but I didn't have this site. I was extremely particular in the location, hieght, construction and everything involved.

Hopefully the scouts from last year, will show up and move in!

Nothing else seems to eat the vile tomato sucking ,crop defiling vermin.

Well said, gulfcoastguy! Last year I squished them til my hands turned green.

My neighbor has a martin house in her yard. Probably hasn't been cleaned in years. Maybe I'll offer to do it.

Thanks for the link, purplebean.

Here's hoping ya'll get a house full of purple beauty!
....and blue too!

Those are two of the happiest sounding birds.


Robin