Purple Martins

Comment

Comment by Jack Williams on August 17, 2010 at 6:52am

So then, would you say that 30 ft. high is ideal or would that be the maximum height? What is the highest telescoping pole that can be purchased? Is it necessary that the house is near water?

Comment by Kelly Jacobs on July 31, 2010 at 2:23pm

You'll never know for sure unless you try, and there are many book about purple martins to guide you. Attracting a specific bird is not an exact science because we are unable to view the habitat that's offered the same way the prospective bird does (a predator like a Cooper's Hawk for example).
For example, 8 years ago we installed 2 purple martin houses, on the tallest poles they sell, next to a pond and they never have nested there. Other birds have claimed the house, and once they do I cannot clean it out until the fall. I think it's all about timing. The nesting boxes or gourds have to be empty and clean for early spring purple martin inspection, and still available when the inspector comes back with a mate, which can be weeks later. I tried playing a purple martin tape to attract the birds I see flying over our home in MS, still it never worked, but they are living at the neighbors down the road so I don't worry about it.