Purple martin house plans
Purple Martin House Plans
Article includes purple martin house plans, installation recommendations and nesting habits.
Purple martins are excellent insect control agents, making them a valuable addition to any backyard. Building a purple martin house plans are a fun and rewarding projects that will not only provide a home for these lovely birds, but also add beauty and charm to your backyard. In this article, we will show you purple martin house plans and guide you through the process of building a purple martin house, including materials, design, and placement.
4 purple martin house plans
We have four different purple martin house plans for you. All four different purple martin house plans are in pdf format. Save them to your computer or print them out.
The first is a gable roof purple martin house with 12 apartments.
Your free Purple Martin house plan PDF Click Here To Download It
The second martin house has 16 apartments and also has a gable roof.
The third birdhouse may be a bit difficult to build for someone, but it’s beautiful. Here are two pdf files. Both have the same birdhouse, but one has 4 apartments and the other has 8 apartments.
Download balga canadian doublet-503
Download balga single taverner-502
The last purple martin house solution is the easiest in my opinion. It is made of inch-thick Styrofoam.
After downloading, be sure to read the correct installation recommendations that are written below. Other tricks to get purple martins to use your birdhouse in the future.
You can start with small Purple martin house…
The martins live in clustered housing. They stay in colonies of 2 to 200 pairs. Single structures arranged in a cluster of many compartments with multiple entrances are popular. They provide appropriate housing for many purple martins. Three to four units are ideal housing for a start. You can add more as the colony expands.
Like this purple martin house.
At the beginning you can set up a four-room birdhouse. As the colony grows, you can easily add rooms. This purple martin house allows you to add 4 floors with a total of 16 rooms.
As soon as you notice martins existing within your area, you should install some Purple Martin house to get the first pair in houses. Once the first pair accepts your housing, you can be sure you will have a whole colony after some time.
Purple martin gourds
Another type of birdhouse that martins prefer is purple martin gourds. Hollowed-out gourds have been used for centuries to attract purple martins. Here is good blog post: DIY Gourd Birdhouse.
You do not have to hollow gourds yourself. You can use plastic purple martin gourds but the gourd size need to be 8 to 13 inches(200 to 330mm) in diameter. Do not paint the interior of the gourd. The entrance needs to be the same size as traditional purple martin house 2 1/8 inches(54mm) . The purple martin gourds outside part should be painted white and come with baffles and guards to protect the birds from predators. Use purple martin gourd rack where they are protected and have nice housing complex.
Purple martins love white houses. White is a color that reflects heat, in turn making the house cooler. It is also easy for the birds to spot a white chamber with a dark entrance hole. Many manufacturers provide plastic purple martin gourds birdhouses. However, natural dried and treated gourds are also appropriate.
Best plastic purple martin gourds
Great DIY birdhouse books where you can find new birdhouse ideas and designs
Purple Martin House Dimensions
The dimensions are important factors in determining if the martins will accept the birdhouse. A too small house may make it hard for the birds to enter or exit, and growing nestlings may get injured in the inadequate space. On the other hand, a house that is too large will make it easy for predators to kill nesting birds, and other larger birds may nest in the home. The size of the entrance hole should be between 1 3/4(45mm) and 2 1/4 inches(57mm). 2 1/8 inches(54mm) is the most popular purple martin birdhouse entrance hole size. The entrance hole height should be above the floor by 1 inch (25mm).
Related article: Birdhouse entrance hole size and other important dimensions
The interior floor area should have a minimum space of 6 by 6 inches(150x150mm). However, slightly larger birdhouses are appropriate for large broods. The interior height should be between 5 to 7 inches(120x170mm) for adequate space and ventilation. But for purple martins gourds, the height can be 8 inches(200mm) to accommodate the unusual shape. Porches are not a must for purple martin houses, but you can use them. They should be 4 inches (100mm) wide to leave enough room for the birds to walk safely.
Purple martin house location
Mount purple martin birdhouse on a post or pole and purple martin house height of the ground should be 12 to 20 feet (3 to 6m) high. The martin birdhouse should not be attached to a tree because predators like raccoons and cats could easily access the nest. These types of birds need a large open area to feed. It is appropriate to place the house at the center of the open space 30 feet (9m) away from structures and trees. Purple martins aren’t too picky about direction of the birdhouse, then it doesn’t matter what direction should a purple martin house face.
Ideally, there should be no taller trees within 60 feet (18m) of the birdhouse. Purple martin house should be close to your home. When these birds see human activity, they know they are protected against predators. The birds also prefer their nest to be half a mile away from a water source like a lake.
The purple martin bird house complex can be very heavy, with a winch it is very easy to install a bird house. If you want to clean the birdhouse use a winch to take the birdhouse down.
Related article: Where to Place a Birdhouse
Why use a pole to install a Purple Martin house
Purple martin house location is essential. It is vital to use a purple martin house pole to install it for added stability. A purple martin pole system helps the birds to avoid maneuvering through trees or dodging telephone wires. The birds should be able to see the opening of their homes without stopping. A well-designed purple martin house plans should be raised and lowered vertically during an inspection.
Most systems use a winch because the houses can be heavy, especially when they are full of eggs or babies. It is essential to check the nestling, clean the house, and evict unwelcome visitors such as sparrows, hawks, and owls.
Which posts are available and which are the best
The pole is essential to support the birdhouse so you shouldn’t forget to make one on your own. Wooden posts and tree limbs are some of the most preferred materials to use when creating a pole by yourself.
There is also the option to buy those available in the market today. Most are made of durable materials and manufactured with metal. They also come with different hanging stations. All you have to do is check online at the various purple martin pole system options and choose one that fits your needs best.
It is best to choose purple martin house pole manufactured by reputable companies, especially if you do not know how to make one by yourself. The purple martin house pole will come with the correct dimensions making it easy to install.
Conclusion
As a purple martin landlord, the materials and construction methods used should withstand hail storms and wind. You should be the house that will last with easy maintenance. Treatments are necessary for both the pole and house to help reduce the effects of rusting and weathering. Telescoping and winch systems need to be wealthy regularly. Also, you should check the cables and ropes for signs of wear. Building houses that are safe and effective for purple martin colonies help reduce the risk of unwanted tenants.
You definitely know these annoying gadflies(horse-fly). The best control against them is purple martin, because they love to eat them. Install a purple martini house in your backyard, they will take care of the gadflies(horse-fly) and you can calmly enjoy the sun and birds.
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