Purple Martins are beautiful birds that can brighten up any garden with their presence. Most of these birds partially depend on the birdhouses that humans build for them. However, they are generally picky while choosing a purple martin birdhouse they want to live inside. Some features must be present in your purple martin house plans if you wish to attract these shallows into your garden or a yard.
Purple Martins prefer living in a colony of dozens of birds. Therefore, they prefer a single house with multiple apartments or different houses joined together. Also, this helps the entire colony of shallows to reside in a single location. You can place one assortment of multiple apartments on a purple martin houses pole. These compartments will locate all the birds in a concise place.
Table of Contents
How to Build a Purple Martin House?
Consider the dimensions of your birdhouse before executing the DIY purple martin house plans. A smaller house can not contain all the birds, and they may leave if they do not find enough space. Also, if the house has a large size, it can give easy access to predators. Moreover, the hole size should be wide enough only to allow purple martins to enter.
The Color of the house
Add soothing and light-colored paint to the wall to reflect heat. Light-colored pastels or white paint are the best choices for an inviting purple martin compartment.
Insulation
It can also help avoid heating in apartments, and the shallows can rest peacefully during summer. Remember to keep the walls three or four inches thick to keep it cool in summer and cozy in winter. Also, a plastic or metal sheet on the roof can help reflect heat.
Entrance Size
The size of the entrance hole should be wide enough for the shallows but small for the predators. Keep the hole size between 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 inches. Also, try to make the hole an unusual shape, such as a crescent, to avoid entry of predators.
Interior Floor
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Considering the area of the interior floor is essential while building a purple martin house. The colonies of birds should have enough space to live comfortably. So, keep the area at least 6 x 6 inches for the shallows.
Interior Height
The height of the walls should be at least 5 or 7 inches so, it provides insulation and adequate space for birds. Also, if you make martin birdhouses from a gourd, then add a few more inches.
FAQ
How many types of purple martin house?
There are different types of purple martin houses, depending on the type of material you use for construction. It also depends on the number of cavities in a compartment. Most people opt for wooden houses for insulated walls. Also, thick plastic is a good choice for constructing apartments. However, the plastic should be thick to prevent heat and UV light from entering the compartment. Some people also use aluminum because of its lightweight and heat-reflecting ability.
What is the best purple martin house?
A 4-floor house with 16 apartments is the best choice for a birdhouse. Also, the ideal Purple Martin nests have a porch for the birds to stand and examine the house. Moreover, make sure that the material used for constructing the walls is durable and heat resistant. The birds get attracted to the house if they find enough space and protection from predators. Besides, the purple houses placement also plays a role if the birds choose your yard.
What direction should a purple martin house face?
Fortunately, purple martins do not mind the direction of the house. You can place the house on the pole in any simple orchestration. However, make sure that the house does not stand between telephone wires or trees. The shallows should fly from any way towards the house, so they locate it from a distance. Also, place the compartment in an open area with no shrubs and trees around the house. You can also download a free purple martin birdhouse plan for this purpose.
Where to place a purple martin house?
The best purple martin house location is at least 12 or 20 feet above the ground. You can make it even higher if there are nearby trees that may interfere with the locality. However, if the area is clear, there is no need to put the house at such height. There is a higher chance of attracting the birds if you place them in an open yard or a garden. Also, install the house at leads 100 yards away from the buildings.
What color should a purple martin house be?
White is the best color for painting the walls of a martinhouse. This paint reflects the heat from the surface. So, it helps the martins to live peacefully inside the compartments during the scorching heat. Moreover, it is beneficial for the young as they can not survive in a high temperature. You can also paint the walls in a bright pastel shade that resembles the white color. However, make sure that it offers the same cooling effect so that the little birds can survive during summer.
How to keep sparrows away from purple martin houses?
There are sparrow traps available in the market that can help get rid of them. Also, you can remove their nearby nests to prevent them from inhabiting the birdhouses. Moreover, if you see a sparrow nesting in the purple box in trees, you can remove the straws and grass. Another way to avoid sparrows is to offer the purple martins a diet that other birds do not enjoy. You can experiment with different foods until you find something the sparrows do not eat.
What will be the length of the purple martin houses pole?
A purple martin house pole is usually a metal pole that can resist winds. According to the experts, the house should be at least 10 to 20 feet in the air. It helps avoid interaction with the trees and nearby poles. Moreover, it can prevent the birds from collapsing in the telephone wires. If you place the house in an open yard, you can install it at a lower house height. However, make sure that the pole is tall enough to avoid collapsing.
Do Purple martins prefer gourds or houses?
Using purple martin gourds is a good option so that the male shallows do not claim more than one compartment. Also, the gourds are at a distance so that all the birds can co-exist peacefully. Moreover, they are lighter and easy to handle instead of a house. The Native Americans used plastic gourds to attract these insect feasting birds. However, people shifted more towards the purple martin birdhouse over time. So, you can choose any of the two.
How to attract purple martins?
Building a house is not enough for attracting Purple Martins birdhouse to your yard. You can put their desirable diet inside the house and make it more accessible to them. Also, place the compartment in such a way that the birds can enter from two sides. Moreover, put grass, twigs, and straws in the apartments. You can also download free printable purple martin house plans from the internet.
