Plans for Chuck's
Purple Martin House
Over the years, I've been asked for plans to build a Purple Martin house many times and usually I sent them to a site that had the plans for a basic house along with a few corrections that needed to be made to the house so that it would be suitable for purple martins. Still, even though the house would work, I wasn't really happy with the design. The house design was very basic and didn't have the ability to easily access the compartments for nest checks or maintenance, and I just didn't know how to tell someone else to make the changes to do it themselves, so I finally decided to sit down and draw up a set of my own. Since all martin houses are basically boxes with compartments in them, it was just a matter of doing the numbers for a 2 story house with compartments that meet the latest standards and then designing in some structure so that it allowed the front face to open up for access. However; these are not just another set of house plans. These plans allow for the house to fit over a round steel pole and thus, allow the house to be raised and lowered for nest checks and house maintenance.
Since man was introduced to the purple martin, they've been supplying housing for them to nest and raise their young in but, not knowing any better, most of the time the houses were simply boxes with dividers built into the house and holes cut into the front. At the time, not too was known about the bird or its nesting habits or requirements, so not much care was taken with the building the house. Then, the house was usually hard mounted on top of a pole somehow and the martins were left to their own devices to nest and survive. Also, those early houses were often built without the ability to access the insides of the house so that it could be cleaned out and maintained. Nest checks were unknown in days past, so that feature wasn't incorporated into many of the designs available.
Unfortunately, as of late, the two major pest bird species, the European Starling and the English House Sparrow soon took over the house and actually eliminated the nesting of martins, the very bird the house was built for. The landlord, not knowing any better, allowed them to live in the house and in so doing, put any martins that might have moved in under much stress and peril.
However, education about the purple martin has increased greatly in recent times and we now know much more about this beautiful bird and its habits. We've learned much more about attracting them, hosting them and what is required to keep them safe while they are in our care. Within the last 20 years, house manufacturers and designers have incorporated the features that will enable the landlord to tend to his martins with ease, such as performing house maintenance, evicting pest birds such as the starling and sparrow and of course, the performing of nest checks enabling him to see how his colony is doing.
Below is the house that I designed. Following are some of the features that make it a house designed with the purple martins in mind.
The house...
· is made of western cedar, a wood with good wood working qualities and thermal characteristics.
· was designed to fit around a steel pole, allowing the landlord to easily raise and lower the house.
· plans come with two entrance hole options, round 2" holes and the crescent shaped as shown here.
· has a 2" spacing in the middle of the house with holes drilled in the back of the compartment walls, allowing for good ventilation.
· has spacious 6 1/2" Wide x 5 1/2" High x 9 1/4" Deep compartments allowing for large broods that can back out of the way of predators.
· has front doors that enable the entire front of the house to be opened, easily allowing nest removal, replacement and nest checks.
· actually looks like a house.
· plans come complete with building, assembling and mounting instructions.
Take a look at the following pictures and see what you think...
As with any martin house, its painted white with a trim color that just happens to match the trim of our own house and of course if you prefer, the trim can be painted any color you like. There is a space above the nesting compartments that allows for air to flow through the house thus cooling the attic, so if you want your house roof to be of a different color, then so be it.
And, since we have Great Horned Owls in the area, owl guards are attached to the front of it. Owls can be a very destructive bird and I designed a set of guards that can easily be added to the martin house to keep them off.
If you would like to build this house, the complete set of plans along with the instruction sheets are available. (See below)
You will be required to locate and purchase the ground socket; 1 7/8" O.D. schedule 80 pipe; winch with cable; top pulley and mounting brackets.
Please note:
I'm sorry, but I no longer supply safety brackets and a pulley. The cost of materials skyrocketed and it now costs me more to have them made and shipped than the price asked and people questioned my prices. The costs of materials have risen dramatically lately, so I can no longer offer them at the price I had. I'm not in this to make a living; just want people to get purple martins. However; the plans I send give details of how to make the pulley and brackets.
There are three ways to get the plans.
And Please Note:
In ALL 3 methods, I need some method in which to contact you in case there is a problem, so please make sure that there is some way for me to get hold of you. Email, (preferred) and phone.
One… Send $12.00 to the address below and I'll get the packet of plans back to you. I will supply the envelope and postage.
Please add a note stating you want House plans since I also offer rack plans and need to make sure which is requested.
Chuck Abare
7040 Barker Rd
Athens, Al. 35614
Please include:
· Shipping Address
· Phone Number
·
Email address
Two…
Pay $12.00 to: chuckabare@earthlink.net
Please insure that the 'ship to' address is correct.
I
will supply the envelope and stamps, which will take care of the shipping and
handling.
And don’t forget the email address…
And Three…easiest and fastest
I also have the plans in PDF format. Send $10.00 using PayPal and I’ll send them to you via email and you can print them out yourself; faster and cheaper since no envelope or stamps are required.
Pay to: chuckabare@earthlink.net
On the PayPal form, please state that you want house plans and the email address that you’d like them sent to. I’m usually able to get them out within the same day.
Simple as that!
If
you still have questions, please email me: