What type of birdhouse does a purple martin prefer?

The most popular style of individual birdhouses for purple martins are hollow gourds, which can be aesthetically pleasing as well as appropriately sized and spaced for the birds.

What birds will nest in a purple martin house?

Purple Martins compete with House Sparrows and European Starlings for nesting sites. By keeping compartments closed until Purple Martins return to their breeding habitat, you can help reduce this competition. Starling-resistant entrance holes can also help reduce competition from starlings.

What color should a purple martin birdhouse be?

white
Birdhouses for purple martins are typically white, as that’s the color that the birds prefer. It’s not that they’re aesthetically picky — on the contrary, it’s that they know that a white birdhouse means that the sunlight will be reflected rather than absorbed, and that the house will be less hot and more comfortable.

What birds will use a martin house?

Actually, you can not allow any other species to nest in your Martin house. This includes Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, and Wrens. Martins will not fight other species to nest in housing that has never been occupied.

What is the best nesting material for purple martins?

Martins construct their nests of leaves, grass and feathers. Try offering these supplies hanging about your yard in old suet cages. Or, try our ready-made nesting material for added success. Predator Guards can be installed on the houses to protect from natural predators such as owls, hawks, snakes and raccoons.

Do starlings invade purple martin houses?

There are two species of non-native birds, the European Starling and the House Sparrow, which will nest in Purple Martin housing. Both species were brought over from Europe and should never be permitted to nest in martin housing. They will take over martin compartments, destroy eggs, and kill nestlings.

Can sparrows and purple martins coexist?

They have been known to sneak into the nests of purple martins and destroy their eggs or kill the young. Using it’s strong beak, a sparrow will even kill an adult martin unable to escape its house. A colony of purple martins will gradually disappear if sparrows nest near or in their houses.

Do purple martins get along with other birds?

Competition for nesting sites and predators that want to get into their nests make purple martins vulnerable to attack. Gentle birds by nature, purple martins have a difficult time with more aggressive (and non-native) birds like European Starlings and House Sparrows who drive them away from their nesting spaces.

How do you keep starlings out of purple martin houses?

To help prevent the starlings from nesting at your colony site we recommend using starling-resistant entrance holes (SREH) at your colony site. These specific entrances, called: crescent, Excluder, Modified Excluder, Excluder II, and Conley 2 will help keep starlings out of the cavities.

Will purple martins fight sparrows?

Native to North America, purple martins have come under intense pressure by proliferating introduced bird species such as the English house sparrow. Male sparrows are extremely territorial. They have been known to sneak into the nests of purple martins and destroy their eggs or kill the young.

Do purple martins need a perch?

More Tips for Attracting Purple Martins Add supplemental perches above and below purple martin houses to give birds a safe spot to roost and preen. These perches should be thin and narrow enough that they cannot be used by larger predators.

Will purple martins live with sparrows?

The short answer… yes, House Sparrows and European Starlings are known for invading and taking up residence in Purple Martin birdhouses. And these birds are fierce competitors to the martin.

Will purple martins run off starlings?

They bother the martins by continually running them off and if the martins do get to lay eggs, both of these birds will go from compartment to compartment, destroying the eggs and young and taking over the nesting cavities.