How To Attract Purple Martins
Cleanliness is ImportantPurple martins are a very picky type of bird. There is a reason why there are purple martin houses and why they do not nest in just any old birdhouse. Mostly it has to do with old nests from other types of birds being in the purple martin house. It is often a tough fight early in the season to keep the starlings and other birds out of the purple martin houses. However, it is an absolute requirement if you want the purple martins to nest in your birdhouse. Make sure you make it a routine thing to go outside and inspect your purple martin house thoroughly. Ensure that the compartments are clean of debris. Make sure that the nests (if any) of other birds are torn out and that the compartments are cleaned with a clean cloth and water. Do not use any harsh chemicals on the compartments, it is not necessary.
Monitor Your Existing Colony
If you already have purple martins in your bird house but are not seeing the growth that you would like, do not worry, you are not alone. I want you to know that if you already have a couple of families in your purple martin house that are ahead of the game. There are some people, simply because they neglect their martin houses that may never see growth in their colonies. However, the fact that you are at this article tells me that you are significantly different than the average martin landlord. For most of you that are doing a good job of monitoring your colony, ensuring that there is food and water available, that the predators are staying out, etc, it is a matter of a waiting game. They will come!
For those that have seen their colonies disappear or the purple martins have never arrived, I would encourage you to begin to monitor your house. Even if you have no purple martins there, it is imperative that you monitor the house to ensure it stays clean and that the predators are staying away. As you do this, you are providing a good safe place for the martins; it will just be a matter of time before they find your house.
Setup Decoys
If you wish to expedite the process of attracting the martins, you must understand that these are very social birds. For this reason, many people will setup purple martin decoys. This will hopefully attract the attention of the purple martins that passing by. Many will at least stop by to inspect what is going on, hopefully some of them will stay!