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Purple Martin ~ Pet Portraits by Carole ~
Bird houses for purple martins – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife

LAZY HILL FARMS ULTIIMATE PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE CUPOLA $1,039.00

Lazy Hill Farm Designs Purple Martin Cupola Birdhouse 24 Rooms $999.99

LAZY HILL FARMS ULTIIMATE PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE $889.00

Lazy Hill 24 Rooms Ultimate Purple Martin Birdhouse $834.99

Steve Martin Purple Martin Pop Art Painting Original Abstract Modern MCNULTY $799.00

Purple Martin 16 Gourd Rack/ Purple Martin House $649.00

Authentic $2300 Martin Margiela 28AA009 100% Wool Dark Purple Coat US S EU 48 $630.00

LONESTAR ALAMO PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE 14RM AND POLE KIT $599.99

FANCY HOME PRODUCTS DECORATIVE PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE WITH PATINA ROOF 12 ROOMS $598.88

FANCY HOME PRODUCTS DECORATIVE PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE WITH COPPER ROOF 12 ROOMS $578.88

LONESTAR PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE GOLIAD 12 ROOM & POLE KIT $568.88

LONESTAR GOLIAD JR. 8 ROOM PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE CRESCENT DOORS AND POLE KIT $528.88

LONESTAR GOLIAD JR. 8 ROOM PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE ROUND DOORS AND POLE KIT $528.88

Purple Martin Super Gourd 12 Rack / Purple Martin House $499.99

NATURE HOUSE TRIO CASTLE PURPLE MARTIN BIRD HOUSE 24 ROOM COMPLETE SAFETY SYSTEM $498.99

LoneStar Goliad Purple Martin House Round Doors 12 Room $487.49

LoneStar Alamo Purple Martin House Crescent Doors 14 Rm $487.49

LoneStar Alamo Purple Martin House Round Doors 14 Rooms $487.49

LoneStar Goliad Purple Martin House Crescent Drs 12 Rms $487.49

Songbird LoneStar Alamo Purple Martin Bird House Round Doors 14 Rooms $479.95

Songbird Essentials LoneStar Goliad Purple Martin Bird House 12 Room Round Doors $479.95

Songbird LoneStar Alamo Purple Martin Bird House Crescent Doors14 Rooms $479.95

LoneStar Goliad Purple Martin Bird House D Crescent rs 12 Rooms FREE SHIPPING $479.95

Purple Martin Pole System (Purple Martin) (Mounting Hardware) $458.50

BIRDHOUSES CUSTOM MADE OF UNIQUE DESIGNS ALL SIZES ALL COLORS $425.00

LONESTAR ALAMO PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE 14 RM CRESCENT HOLES $407.88

Purple Martin Super Gourd 8 Rack / Purple Martin House $404.00

Hotel California Purple Martin Birdhouse by Home Bazaar $394.20

New! American Landmark ~ Hotel California Purple Martin Birdhouse Home Bazaar ! $394.20

Purple Martin Birdhouse-Hotel California Fully Functional $394.20

LONESTAR ALAMO PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE 14 ROOM ROUND HOLES $389.99

Hotel California Purple Martin Birdhouse (Bird Houses) (Purple Martin) $381.70

Purple Martin Bird House – All Wood – 30 Large Rooms $369.00

LONESTAR PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE GOLIAD 12 RM CRESCENT DOOR $368.88

Birdhouse Purple Martin Clubhouse Birdhouse -Southern Plantation $358.20

Home Bazaar Hotel California Purple Martin Birdhouse $358.20

Purple Martin Pair Original Wood Carving $350.00

2 Male Purple Martin Pair Original Wood Carving $350.00

Purple Martin Pair Original Wood Carving $350.00

Home Bazaar Town Hall Purple Martin House Birdhouse $340.20

Birdhouse Purple Martin New England Town Hall $340.20

LONE STAR GOURD RACK & PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE POLE SYSTEM $339.99

Unpainted Hexagon 12 Room Cedar Purple Martin Birdhouse $329.99

LONESTAR PURPLE MARTIN GOURD RACK AND 12 PLASTIC GOURDS $327.99

NATURE HOUSE MINI CASTLE PURPLE MARTIN BIRD HOUSE 12 ROOM COMPLETE SAFETY SYSTEM $323.99

Heritage Farms Purple Martin Pole System $317.66

Game Worn Used Kevin Martin Signed Purple Sacramento Kings Basketball Jersey $300.00

NEW HOME BAZAAR TOWN HALL FOR PURPLE MARTIN BIRDHOUSE HB2000 $299.99

BIRDHOUSE- Purple Martin Pole System – Support over 50 lbs. $299.99

Lonestar Purple Martin House Pole & Winch System $298.45

Garden Birds Ceramic Coffee Mug or Tea Cup $11.99 Garden Birds of North America 11 OZ. Ceramic Coffee Mug This colorful mug features seventeen species of North American Birds including the White-crowned sparrow, American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Cardinal, Purple Martin, Yellow Warbler, Black-capped Chickadee, Indigo Bunting, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Baltimore Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, American Robin…

Heritage Farms Martin Housing Pod (4 Units W/Pod) $174.83 Heritage Farms Martin Housing Pod (4 Units W/Pod)…

Purple Crocus – Soft Focus Photo Mugs CMB-507 PURPLE CROCUS – soft focus Crocus vernus Chris Martin Bahr Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way. contact details prints ardea tel 020 8672 2067….

Patience is a Purple Martin Colony

The old adage says that patience is a virtue, but this must be amplified exponentially when applied to the prospect of attracting purple martins in hopes of beginning a new colony. Many good people with the best intentions have spent a lot of money on purple martin birdhouses, and invested even more in time and sweat to erect them, only to give up and abandon the birdhouses after one or two fruitless seasons. The fact is that purchasing and placing a purple martin birdhouse is just the tip of the iceberg. In my very humble opinion, if that were all it took, it would not be a very engaging hobby. There is much more to it, and for many people, purple martin landlording becomes much more than a hobby, often growing into a passionate and rewarding endeavor.

Having put in the effort to place a high-quality purple martin birdhouse in a favorable location, the neophyte landlord then needs to protect the property from nuisance birds. The two most common examples are starlings and house sparrows. These birds are not native to North America, so the law does not protect them. Using starling-resistant entry holes will largely mitigate the problem posed by starlings nesting in purple martin birdhouses, though they may still harass the martins.

Unfortunately, any entrance that will allow purple martins will also allow sparrows. Many very successful purple martin landlords trap and shoot sparrows. Over time, the sparrow menace will diminish to a very low level. Other landlords, who are unwilling or unable to kill the sparrows, will trap them, but then they will just clip the wings and release them. By many accounts, this does reduce the sparrow problem, but not as effectively, as it does not guarantee a reduction in local house sparrow population. However, it is possible that clipping the tail as well as the wings will make house sparrows less attractive, and therefore less successful, as mates for other sparrows.

The worst thing a purple martin landlord can do about starlings and sparrows is nothing. Anyone who puts up a purple martin birdhouse and responds to these pests with inaction is quite possibly, even likely, doing more harm than good for the martins.

Thus far, there is a good purple martin birdhouse in a good location. A caring, vigilant landlord is performing nest checks at least twice weekly to ensure there are no unwanted “visitors”. There have been martin sightings in the area – maybe even active colonies nearby. Yet, the entire season passes without a single pair of martins nesting in the nice, new birdhouse. What is the missing ingredient? Once again, it is patience. With luck, some young purple martins will see the birdhouse when they are flocking together before their long fall migration to South America. Possibly, they will remember it when they are looking for a nesting site next season.

Most successful purple martin landlords had very humble beginnings. Waiting at least two or three seasons just to get the first pair or two of nesting martins is the norm. After those first couple of pairs adopt the purple martin birdhouse, it is a little bit easier to keep them. Purple martins will often return to nest in the same martin house they used the last year. Of course, a responsible purple martin landlord must keep the birdhouse clean and in good repair, all the while continuing to keep pests and predators away.

As a helpful mnemonic device, I have developed the five “P’s” that form the basis for attracting and maintaining a successful purple martin colony:

1) Placement of the birdhouse. It should be from 30 to 120 feet away from human housing, and at least 40 feet away from any tree that stands taller than the fully elevated purple martin house.

2) Protection from pests and predators. Use starling-resistant entry holes, and get rid of house sparrows, one way or the other.

3) Patience.

4) Patience.

5) Patience.

About the Author

Michael Rasco is the owner of UtopiaBirdHouses.com, a website committed to providing high quality birding products and wild bird information.