Purple Martins!  You've probably heard of them.  Maybe your father had a house with martins.  Or maybe some other relative, or maybe even your neighbor down the street has a colony.  Or just maybe you're searching the internet to find information about them because you'd like to start your own colony. Well, you've found it!

Within the following pages, you'll find all kinds of information dealing with Purple Martins.  Information like how to attract them, house them, protect them and how to properly care for them. What you'll find is loads of information, drawings and pictures, presented in a manner so that the information is clear and concise.  The intent of this page is to inform and educate, therefore; I strive to keep the information in tune with the latest research.  As you'll find out, the 'old' ways of hosting martins has gone by the wayside, so just putting a house up and letting it go is no longer a valid way of hosting purple martins.  

If you're interested in purple martins or think you'd like to start a colony, then please take the time to read all the information here on this web site or on any other web sites you can find. Taking time to check out all the information you can will be time well spent. With all the findings that have come forth in recent years from new research, the information on keeping purple martins is changing daily.  I've presented my information here for you to get a basic understanding of the hobby, however; if you want a different perspective from another landlord, then by all means, visit one or more of the other sites listed on the internet.  I am 'assuming' that any information presented on any of those pages is given in good faith and is intended to help the martins. Most of the time you will find that everyone agrees with each other on the 'basics' of how to operate a colony, but you will also find many things throughout the different pages that are under continuous disagreements and discussions therefore; read all the information presented and educate yourself so you can make your own decisions.

Purple martins are a very beautiful and friendly native bird and will need all the help you can give them. On this site, you will read about housing accessibility, why doing nest checks are important, protecting them from predators and defending them from other pest birds and you have to be prepared to deal with all these things. If your plans are to just buy a house, stick it on a pole and let them fend for themselves, then don't bother.  You'll only be helping to further destroy the species.  The explanations to this statement can be found within these pages (and many other pages on the Internet) in much more detail.  Keeping purple martins is much more than just sticking a house on top of a pole and seeing what happens. And may I also add, be prepared to become addicted. They can do that. I'm willing to bet you've never been in contact with another wild bird quite like The Purple Martin

Authors' Note:
I am in no way an 'expert' on Purple Martins and don't proclaim to be. I just happen to have a nice colony of martins and a number of years of experience with them.  My knowledge of the species has been developed over the years of reading, keeping, studying, testing and caring for them.  In doing so I've also learned to develop a love for these birds, (some would call it an 'addiction') hence, these web pages.  In no way are any statements printed here intended to offend anyone. What may be everyday stuff for some, might be new and different for others, so even though it might seem trivial, I am not meaning to insult anyone's intelligence by explaining something that is obviously very simple.  There just might be someone that needs to understand the simple things.  I am not knocking anyone's ideas or beliefs by presenting my own. I'm simply trying to present what has worked for me and/or for others that have martins plus attempting to stay abreast of all the 'new' information that is constantly being discovered thru ongoing testing of these birds.  Since we are dealing with different geographical locations, some of the information may vary a little, meaning; what works in one area may be a little different for another and may require a little different approach. A little common sense will go a long way in understanding our objective.

These pages have grown to keep pace with the latest information on purple martins along with the questions or suggestions from folks that have visited here. In order to either answer some of those questions or to clarify a point, I have added pictures or graphics to many of these pages. I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER, but I hope that most of the pictures are good enough to get my points across.

Please feel to browse around all of these pages. Print them out if you'd like to take them with you to read or if you know of someone who would like the information, but doesn't have a computer themselves. Specifically, I have an overview that attempts to explain the hobby in a somewhat compressed article and hopefully it will give a good base for starting out before one makes the plunge.  All I ask is that the information be used towards the propagation of the Purple Martin as a species and to increase the knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the hobby of hosting Purple Martins.  Although I do have a few things for sale, this is not a money making venture for me and since I am a Mechanical Design Engineer by profession, you'll see a little more on the 'mechanics' of the hobby, hopefully providing a little information that is not readily available from other sources.

Reading about martins is one thing, but experiencing them is a totally different thing.  Read and understand so you can make your own decisions as to how to establish and run your site. During your visits to other websites, you might read something different than what I suggest, therefore; if it sounds like good information, then by all means, think it thru and then give it a try.  I'm not going to tell you not to try any particular type of housing, because that might be just the one that works for you to attract them. As can be seen by the pictures throughout these pages, I have both wood housing, natural and plastic gourds at my site and martins use all of them. If you like the looks of gourds with their aesthetic appeal, then put up gourds. Likewise if you prefer the looks of wood, plastic or aluminum houses, then by all means, put them up. But please remember, there are rules that have to be followed or else it will become very frustrating for you. As you'll no doubt find out, these birds can be rather persnickety at times and there will be times when you'll just scratch your head and wonder why!

Suggested Reading

Stokes Purple Martin Book, by Donald and Lillian Stokes & Justin Brown. One of the best books that I've read on the hobby of keeping Purple Martins. This is the complete guide to attracting and housing Purple Martins.
How to Attract Birds, by Ortho Books
What You Should Know About Purple Martins, by J.L. Wade, The Nature Society, Griggsville, IL 62340
Attracting Purple Martins, also by J.L. Wade,
The Purple Martin, by R.B. Layton, Nature Book Publishers, P.O. Box 115, Valley Lee, MD 20692
Enjoying Purple Martins More, by Richard A Wolinski
How To Control Sparrows, by Don Grussing
America's Neighborhood Bats, By Merlin D. Tuttle. Since I have a bat house and know how much these fury little critters love night time insects, I just couldn't resist putting one book about them here also.

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