How do I build a purple martin's nest?

Question

A purple martin is a type of bird that keeps away mosquitos - my neighbor & I want to go in together and build one to help keep our backyards mosquito free. What are some good websites & ways to build the nest? I'm particularly confused with how to get it up so high, but be able to take it down every spring to clean it out. Could it be in a tree?

Answer 1

Funny thing, I was just looking through a book my girls gave me for Mother's day a while back, (How to Attract Birds - Ortho Books), and here is a recommendation:

"Formerly, the only way you could have a Purple Martin house was to build one yourself-a complicated project that frequently resulted in heavy structures difficult to raise or lower, and inconvenient to take apart and maintain. If you are a confirmed do-it-yourselfer, and have the experience and equipment to do the job, you may enjoy building one yourself. The best plan for a martin house is available from the Surperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Send $2.50 and ask for "Homes for Birds," Conservation Bulletin #14 Stock #024-010-00524-4.

Please note my book is from 1983, and this info may be online by now, but I hope this may be a reputable place to start.

A few notes the book points out before building or purchasing a Martin House - The best martin houses are expandable, so that you can add new floors and compartments as the colony grows from year to year. Houses have been built with over a hundred compartments, but it is best to start small, with eight to twelve.

- It should be correctly placed. If you don't have a suitable location for a martin house, there is little chance it will be used. A martin house should be mounted on a pole 12 to 20 feet high in an open lawn or meadow at least 40 feet from any nearby tree, structure, or other flight obstuction. Even shrubs or small trees over 5 feet tall near the martin house are a hindrance to these birds, as they like to approach the nest in long gliding swoops.

- The martin house should be easily raised and lowered. It will need to be taken down yearly and cleaned out before the martins return in spring. Wooden houses should be stored under cover in winter. Many aluminum houses feature a convenient pulley-and-winch apparatus or telescoping pole.

Answer 2

First off you don't build the nest... the birds do! I wouldn't go to all the trouble of building a Purple Martin house, either. They are readily available already built and painted. Just put them on a pole with a pulley so you can lower them to clean them out. Martins are community nesters. They like "apartment" living. So a good house has lots of openings into different "rooms."

Answer 3

Martins love to nest in gourds. Get a gourd and cut a round hole in it for them to get in. They can be hung high by putting a string ( like fishing line or something) thru the end of the gourd. Some people actually make hangers out of long poles(about 15-18 ft. high) to hang them on. You can probably find something at a feed and seed store for the gourds and a building materials store for the poles
Hope this helps

Answer 4

Two places I would check for info are www.animalplanet.com in the BACKYARD HABITAT section and diynet.com