How to Build a Martin Birdhouse
- Place the birdhouse in a large open area, not too close to trees or wires.
- The birdhouse should be between 10 and 17 feet (3.05 and 5.18 meters) high.
- The floor space should measure at least 6-feet-by-6-feet (1.83-meters-by-1.83-meters).
- The birdhouse's ceiling should be at least 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) high.
How to build a bird house the right way?
- Find the center of the top edge.
- Draw a straight line from that point to the 5-inch marks on the right and left sides. These are your cut lines for the top.
- Once cut, these roof lines will complete the five-sided panels for the front and back of the birdhouse.
How big does a Martin Birdhouse have to be?
You should know the following before building your Martin birdhouse. Place the birdhouse in a large open area, not too close to trees or wires. The birdhouse should be between 10 and 17 feet (3.05 and 5.18 meters) high. The floor space should measure at least 6-feet-by-6-feet (1.83-meters-by-1.83-meters).
How high should a Martin birdhouses be?
They require houses of a certain size in specific locations and placed at a safe distance above the ground. Mounting Height Experts on purple martins suggest mounting martin houses on metal poles between 10 and 20 feet above the ground surface. To prevent the pole from falling, a taller pole—with two to three feet set into the ground—is required.
How to make a purple martin Birdhouse?
- Cut the wood for the floor and the walls of the first story. ...
- Drill two entrance holes in each of the walls.
- Screw the walls to the floor and to each other.
- Screw the second-story floor on top of the first-story walls.
- Drill two entrance holes in each of the second-floor walls. ...
- Screw two L-brackets to the outside of each side of the first-floor roof. ...
How high does a Martin Bird House need to be?
Martin houses should be placed in an open location, at least 40 ft. from trees or buildings. Martins prefer to have clear access to houses from all sides, and like to have perching sites like utility wires nearby, but not attached to the nest box. The height of the housing can be anywhere from 12-20 ft.
What direction should a martin birdhouse face?
What direction should a birdhouse face? A birdhouse and its entrance hole should face away from prevailing winds. In the United States, it's very common for a birdhouse to face east, which is often faced away from the prevailing wind and the strong afternoon sun.
What Makes a Good Martin House?
Number of Cavities: Purple Martins are colonial nesters—they like to nest in groups—so at least 4 cavities should be offered. Between 6 to 12 cavities is a great start for a colony. Accessibility: Martin housing should raise and lower vertically on a telescoping, pulley, or winch system.
What color should a martin bird house be?
whitePick a white house. Birdhouses for purple martins are typically white, as that's the color that the birds prefer.
How do you attract martins to a Martin house?
How to Attract Purple Martins to Your GardenConstruct housing in an open area. As wild birds, purple martins are more likely to nest in an area that isn't too close to human housing. ... Install housing on a telescoping pole. ... Keep predators at bay. ... Deter other bird species. ... Use a little trickery.
How do I keep snakes out of my purple martin house?
Pole-mounted Purple Martin homes can be protected by ingenious pole obstacles that are designed to address specific threats such as pole-climbing mammals and even snakes. One popular type looks like a car muffler, providing climbing obstacles on the outside.
Do purple martin houses need to be cleaned?
You will want to clean your nests prior to the arrival of the birds in early February. We recommend removing old nesting material, then wiping the nest with a 5% bleach solution (5 parts bleach to 95 parts water), followed by a water wash to remove any bleach residue.
How do you attract Purple Martins for the first time?
You can help attract young birds by playing purple martin songs early in the morning near your martin house. (See sidebar at top right of this page.) In a thriving colony, adult males fly up high above the housing very early in the morning and sing a special dawn song.
How do I keep squirrels out of my Martin house?
Use a squirrel baffle on any pole-mounted birdhouse. The simple metal disc wraps around the pole, preventing squirrels from climbing up to the birdhouse. Any mounted nesting box should have a squirrel baffle. Baffles help protect from other predators–like cats, raccoon and snakes–too.
Do martin houses need to be white?
White is the preferred color for purple martin houses. White offers maximum reflection of sunlight, which keeps the interior of the house cool so the birds can flourish and raise their young. You can paint the trim, such as the roof line and the ledges below the doors, a different color, but it is not necessary.
Where do purple martins go at night?
North American Roosts After fledging, juvenile Purple Martins, as well as adults and subadults will congregate at a roost. Large flocks of martins gather to spend the night at these roosts, which are usually situated near water or in trees. Martins will then form smaller groups and begin migration from these roosts.
Why have a purple martin house?
Purple martins are beneficial birds to have near a home or on a property because they eat insects. These birds feed during daylight, and their diet consists mainly of beetles, moths, dragonflies, butterflies, horseflies, leafhoppers and wasps.
Should a birdhouse face south?
nest. The house should face south or southeast. Selecting a suitable location for the bluebird house is of house. They should be set out by February 15.
Can a birdhouse face north?
Bird nest boxes should ideally face between north and east. This will catch morning sunshine but avoid the heat of the midday sun. It will also keep them out of our prevailing wind and rain which usually comes from the west.
How high should a birdhouse be off the ground?
For most species, bird houses should be at least five feet above the ground, if not higher. The habitat type near the birdhouse will determine which species might use it. For example, birdhouses that are placed near water are more likely to attract tree swallows, whereas house wrens will use those in gardens.
What do you put inside a birdhouse?
Many cavity-nesting birds will add their own nest material, but the woodpeckers, waterfowl and owls prefer nest boxes with 2-3 inches of dry sawdust or woodchips in the bottom. Place the box carefully. Put your birdhouse up on a sturdy pole, post, tree, or under a house eave.
Types of Purple Martin Houses
There are two types of houses that purple martins prefer: single structures with many compartments or individual homes arranged in a cluster. Becau...
Purple Martin House Dimensions
The dimensions of a bird house are one of the most important factors in making it suitable for particular bird species. If the home is too small, a...
Purple Martin House Placement
Even the most well designed bird house will be unsuitable for purple martins if it is not placed properly. These birds need large, open areas to fe...
Managing Purple Martin Nesting Colonies
Purple martins have become accustomed to and dependent on artificial nesting sites over centuries of association with humans. Because of this, anyo...
Tips For Purple Martin Houses
To choose the best bird houses for purple martins and ensure they can use the structures safely… 1. Paint homes white for the best heat reflection...
Why are birdhouses built in sections?
The other reason is so that at the end of the season the whole thing can easily be disassembled for cleaning. The birdhouse is mounted on a post which in turn is mounted on a simple pivot mechanism so that the structure can easily be lowered to ground level.
What do Martins do to scare away birds?
The other contribution the colony will make is to scare away certain less desirable birds. Martins use their numbers to chase away hawks and crows. Got crows in the corn which are ignoring even the most realistic animated scarecrow? Or maybe you've lost a few chicks to the hawks? Martins to the rescue!
Why did Native Americans build birdhouses?
That's why they put up birdhouses made from gourds and calabashes to attract them. So even if you regard making the birdhouse as a chore, it is well worth the trouble and expense. There is another reward: the enjoyment of bird-watching right in your own backyard.
What bird eats insects?
Learn how to build a birdhouse for martins, the beneficial bird that not only eats copious amounts of insects, but also scares away hawks and crows.
How much space do purple martins need?
Purple martins need elbow room, so if you can, allow at least a 20-foot diameter of clear space around the birdhouse. These birds like a high perch and like to have an abundance of egg shells at their disposal (not enough calcium in the old bug diet). Last, but not least, they like plenty of nice nesting material.
How many bugs do Martins eat a day?
Attracting Martins to your homestead is a good idea because they have been observed to eat as many as 1,200 bugs a day.
Why do martins come to my homestead?
There are two practical reasons for attracting a martin colony to your homestead. First is that they are insect eaters — flies, mosquitoes, moths and wasps, to name a few. When they are feeding their young (in the birdhouse), they have been observed returning with an insect every 30 seconds.
How to build a birdhouse?
Materials and Equipment Needed to Build this Birdhouse: 1 Wood (cedar, redwood, cypress, and pine would make good choices). 2 Screws: Approximately 1.5″ (4cm) long. 3 Power drill. 4 Saw (table saw or miter saw). 5 Drill bit to match appropriate entrance hole size.
What size hole do you need for a purple martin?
Drill three entrance holes in each piece using either a spade bit or forsnter drill bit. An entrance hole size between 2.25″ and 2.5″ (5.7cm – 6.4 cm) is the optimum diameter for purple martins. However, chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, woodpeckers, and wrens will also gladly make this their home. See Bird House Hole Size if you want to attract a specific bird.
How to make a tight seal on wood?
Cut two pieces of wood as shown below. By cutting one end at 60 degrees the two pieces will fit perfectly together to create a tight seal.
What birds are attracted to bird feeders?
Use these free DIY bird house plans and bird feeder plans to attract bluebirds, chickadees, flickers, finches, house sparrows, hummingbirds, kestrel, nuthatches, owls, purple martins, swallows, thrushes, warblers, woodpeckers, wrens, and other birds to your garden.
Do bird house screws countersink?
If you pre-drill the holes, these screws will countersink themselves nicely because the head is not much larger than the pilot hole. If you want to make your bird house easy to clean and service use a combination of hinges and door latches to hold the side doors (labeled “B”) in place.
What type of birdhouse do purple martins like?
Because these are social birds, they often nest in colonies of dozens or hundreds of mated pairs. Single structure “apartment” style birdhouses feature multiple entrances leading to adjacent chambers.
How wide should a porch be on a purple martin house?
Porches: Porches are not necessary on purple martin houses, but if they are used they should be 4 inches wide to allow birds to walk safely. If a railing is used as a decorative accent on the porch, it should be no higher than 5/8-inch or birds may become trapped underneath it.
How big should a purple martin hole be?
Entrance hole: The diameter of the entrance hole should be between 1 3/4 and 2 1/4 inches. Entrance holes measuring 2 1/8 inches are the most popular. Crescent-shaped holes can also be effective in preventing other birds from using the houses, but purple martins have no trouble with that unusual shape.
How high should a bird house entrance be?
Entrance height: The entrance hole to the house should be 1 inch above the floor. A lower hole will not provide adequate protection from predators and weather, and young birds could more easily topple out of the opening. A higher hole will be too difficult for parent birds to enter and exit while feeding young birds.
Do purple martins have nesting colonies?
Managing Nesting Colonies. Purple martins have become accustomed to and dependent on artificial nesting sites over centuries of association with humans. Because of this, anyone putting up purple martin houses must be prepared to monitor those houses to keep them suitable.
Do purple martins like artificial nests?
In the eastern United States, purple martins are almost entirely dependent on artificial nesting sites, but like all birds, they can be picky about which houses they choose. The best houses will not only attract these birds, but proper construction will help keep any residents safe from poor weather and predators.
Can starlings compete with purple martins?
Both European starlings and house sparrows can aggressively compete with purple martins for nesting sites, and constant checking of available houses is necessary to remove unwanted nests and give the martins better opportunities to thrive.
Why do we have purple martin houses?
Purple martin house plans have been now designed in a way to maximize nesting discouragement of house sparrows and starlings.
Why do purple martins not attract birds?
Purple martins nest in colonies. Over 1 million people put up martin houses, but many fail to attract any birds because of poor placement.
Can you add a second story to a Purple Martin plan?
You can always add a second story to these plans or as many as you think you need depending how big the purple martin population is in your area. Photo of plans courtesy of Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Mounting Height
Experts on purple martins suggest mounting martin houses on metal poles between 10 and 20 feet above the ground surface. To prevent the pole from falling, a taller pole—with two to three feet set into the ground—is required.
Entrance Hole Height
The entrance holes of purple martins also must be placed at specific heights in relation to the floor of the birdhouse. Maryland Cooperative Extension and University of Florida IFAS Extension both suggest placing the entrance holes one inch from the floor.
Considerations
The mounting height for the purple martin birdhouse is meant to provide the bird with an unobstructed entrance and exit flight path. A house should not be placed near trees or other structures that might block the flight path.
Remember That Purple Martins Need Clustered Housing
Purple martins need to live in clustered, social groups. They build their nests together and rely on each other for survival during the summer months.
Monitor the Presence of Sparrows and Other Predators
Sparrows and other predators can be quite a nuisance for purple martins, so you need to monitor the presence of these birds.
Think About The Temperature Inside Your Purple Martin House
When choosing where to put this birdhouse, consider whether there are areas nearby that could block sunlight from entering the home during certain times of the day.
Keep an Eye on the Weather and Climate
The temperature and weather are also something you should keep an eye on.
Face Your Purple Martin House in an Open Area
When considering where to place your purple martin house, think about putting it somewhere in an open area.
Give Your Purple Martins a Great View
It’s important to mention that you should give your purple martins a great view.
Make Sure the Purple Martins Can See You
If you’re not sure whether or not your purple martin house is facing in the right direction, ask yourself if the occupants can see you.
How to hang a martin gourd?
When dry, you can hang your gourd (you’ll need at least 4 to 6 gourds to attract martins) from a 24-inch plastic-coated copper wire. Thread the wire through two of the holes directly across from each other and hang it from a support line, below a martin house or on a specially made gourd rack. Hang the gourd 10 to 15 feet high, with the entrance hole facing an open area. The gourd will swing, making it less attractive to nest competitors, such as starlings.
How big of a hole do you need for a gourd to be a birdhouse?
Each bird has its own requirements for habitat, entrance-hole size and cavity dimensions. For instance, house wrens need a 1-inch entra nce hole in a gourd 5 to 6 inches in diameter and prefer gourds hung in a shady area close to brush. Chickadees need a 1-1/4-inch hole and like to nest in wooded areas.
How big of a hole do chickadees need?
Chickadees need a 1-1/4-inch hole and like to nest in wooded areas. Bluebirds and tree swallows require a 1-1/2-inch hole and prefer to nest in open areas. For flycatchers, make the hole 1-3/4 to 2 inches in diameter and hang the gourd in a tree close to a brushy area.
Why do people hang purple martins?
Gourds have been used to make purple martin houses for centuries. Native Americans used to hang them to attract martins to their settlements to help control insects. Today, purple martins east of the Rocky Mountains depend on people to supply them with houses and gourds. Time spent creating a purple martin gourd house is a worthwhile investment.
What birds can you use a gourd for?
Gourds make fine homes for several varieties of cavity nesters, including bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, great crested flycatchers, titmice, screech owls, kestrels and nuthatches . Learn how to turn a gourd into a birdhouse. Each bird has its own requirements for habitat, entrance-hole size and cavity dimensions.
When to take down Purple Martin gourd house?
Purple Martin Gourd House Maintenance. In late August or early September, after the martins depart for their winter homes in the tropics, take the gourd house down for cleaning. Break up nests with the handle of a wooden spoon and shake out the contents. Then store until early spring (the martins return as early as February in the deep South) ...
How long do purple martin gourds last?
Time spent creating a purple martin gourd house is a worthwhile investment. Cured hard-shell gourds are almost as tough as plywood, and they will last up to 30 years if properly coated with a preservative and handled with a little care. These basic gourd birdhouses are popular with the birds and purple martin landlords.
Martins: The Always Helpful Visitor
Birdhouse Plans
- Each “story” is a unit unto itself. This modular construction allows you to add units as your colony increases. The stories are not attached to one another; they simply stack one atop the other The roof hold-down unit and cross struts hold all the storeys together. When it is time to add more stories, simply move the cross struts down, remove the attic/roof section, and slide on the new s…
Materials List
- One gallon sealer primer
- One gallon exterior paint (white)
- Lag bolts: 1 each, three-eighths inch by 4 inch with washer (roof holddown unit), 4 each quarter-inch by 3 inch with washers (bottom story attachment to cross struts), 6 each quarter-inch by 6
- One gallon sealer primer
- One gallon exterior paint (white)
- Lag bolts: 1 each, three-eighths inch by 4 inch with washer (roof holddown unit), 4 each quarter-inch by 3 inch with washers (bottom story attachment to cross struts), 6 each quarter-inch by 6
- inch with washers (cross strut attachment to post)
Directions
- Each storey has eight half inch-by-half inch-by-2 inch spacers. They serve to allow air to circulate above each cubicle. It is very important that you do not omit these. If air is not allowed to ci...
- Use a carpenter’s square to make sure the struts are 90 degrees to the post and parallel to each other. If not, all of the subsequent stacked storeys will be out of alignment.Attach the cr…
- Each storey has eight half inch-by-half inch-by-2 inch spacers. They serve to allow air to circulate above each cubicle. It is very important that you do not omit these. If air is not allowed to ci...
- Use a carpenter’s square to make sure the struts are 90 degrees to the post and parallel to each other. If not, all of the subsequent stacked storeys will be out of alignment.Attach the cross strut...
- The inner and outer walls should be nailed to their respective floors from the bottom.
- All the entrance holes should be 2-and-a-half inches in diameter. I would purchase a circular hole saw to be used in a drill motor or brace for this purpose. Barring that, have fun with a keyhole saw.