How do I keep starlings out of my purple martin house?
To help prevent the starlings from nesting at your colony site we recommend using starling-resistant entrance holes (SREH) at your colony site. These specific entrances, called: crescent, Excluder, Modified Excluder, Excluder II, and Conley 2 will help keep starlings out of the cavities.
What size should a purple martin house be?
6″ x 6″ x 12″
Each purple martin compartment should be at least 6″ x 6″ x 12″. Some martin houses are sold that are only 6″ x 6″ x 6″. Research shows that this is too small for purple martins to lay a full clutch of eggs (up to 7) and raise the young.
How high off the ground does a purple martin house need to be?
The ideal height is 10 to 14 feet but it can be much higher if desired. And make certain before purchasing a martin house it can be located in an area at least 40 feet from tall objects such as trees or buildings.
Which direction should a purple martin house face?
The good news is that purple martins aren’t picky when it comes to direction; north, south, east, and west are all fine, as long as it’s consistent.
What direction should a birdhouse opening face?
What direction should a birdhouse face? A birdhouse and its entrance hole should face away from prevailing winds. In the United States, it’s very common for a birdhouse to face east, which is often faced away from the prevailing wind and the strong afternoon sun.
How big is the hole in a martin birdhouse?
2 1/4 inches
Entrance hole: The diameter of the entrance hole should be between 1 3/4 and 2 1/4 inches. Entrance holes measuring 2 1/8 inches are the most popular. Crescent-shaped holes can also be effective in preventing other birds from using the houses, but purple martins have no trouble with that unusual shape.
How do I attract purple martins to my property?
In addition to providing appropriate houses for purple martins, supplying proper nesting materials can help encourage them to take up residence. A nearby pile of small twigs, grass clippings, and leaves is perfect, and a muddy area is also useful as these birds use mud as a binder to hold their nests together.
Do purple martins help with mosquitoes?
Ornithologist James Hill, founder of the Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA), writes, “The number of mosquitoes that martins eat is extremely insignificant, and they certainly don’t control them. In-depth studies have shown that mosquitoes comprise no more than 0 to 3 percent of the diet of martins”.
How do you attract purple martins to a new house?
What is the best direction to face a birdhouse?
east
What direction should a birdhouse face? A birdhouse and its entrance hole should face away from prevailing winds. In the United States, it’s very common for a birdhouse to face east, which is often faced away from the prevailing wind and the strong afternoon sun.
Is it too late to put up a purple martin house?
NO! Anytime is a good time to install a martin house. Even if the birds have been around for awhile, they see the house and the chances are better for a good colony increase next year. If you put it up too late for the current season they will come back next year and pos- sibly nest.