The Tribune, TX – 5 hours ago
Bonnie McKeena
If you are a fan of the beautiful purple martin, now is the time to get your bird house ready.
The first recorded purple martins, this year, entered Texas at Port O’Conner on Jan. 19, in Alvin on Jan 23 and Houston on Jan. 30. So far, martins have been seen as far north as Oklahoma and North Carolina. As the weather becomes warmer more and more martins will head up from their winter home in South America to the southern reaches of Canada. In Texas, the martins nest in all parts of the state except the extreme west Texas.
“Native Americans were the first to notice that purple martins would nest in gourds hanging from trees. This practice was ongoing when Europeans first landed in the Americas. Today, birds seen east of the Rocky Mountains depend on human-supplied housing. West of the Rockies the birds nest in natural cavities such as abandoned woodpecker nests, or holes in the side of cliffs,” said Louise Chambers, editor of the Purple Martin Update in Corpus Christi, TX.
Purple martins are the largest member of the swallow family. They spend the winter months in South America and migrate north to nest. The pair-bond of these birds is monogamous. Together they build their nests out of mud, grass and twigs. The female lays two to seven eggs and incubates them for approximately 15 days. The parents feed them continuously until they fledge, usually within 26 to 32 days. The fledglings continue to be dependent on their parents for an additional one to two weeks for food and additional training.
Each year, more than a million people put up housing for purple martins. According to the Purple Martin Conservation Association, the best way to succeed in establishing a purple martin colony is to first educate yourself about the needs and behavior of the purple martin.
Martins have very specific requirements. The martin housing should be in the center of the largest open space available, at least 30 feet away from human housing and 40 to 60 feet from the nearest tree. The martin house should be painted white or a very light color. White attracts martins and keeps the nests cooler.
“People need to put up housing that is manageable and easy to care for. A telescoping pole or a rope and pulley system to raise and lower the martin house or gourd are the best ways to keep track of the number of eggs and babies and to clean out the nests of competitor birds,” Chambers said.
Martins will return to the sites that they bred in previously. The strategy of the landlord, in the spring, is to keep the house closed until a few martins return. They will usually return within a week or two of the previous year. To make the site more attractive to purple martins, put up a combination of nesting gourds and houses. Add a purple martin decoy and place some nesting material in each compartment.
Managing a purple martin colony is more than just building houses. Protecting the nest from predators with nest guards and other materials is important too.
Purple martins are aerial insectivores. They eat only flying insects that they catch in flight. Their diet is diverse. They do not eat mosquitoes as is often claimed. An intensive study of more than 500 diet samples failed to turn up one mosquito. Martins are daytime feeders and they feed high in the sky. It is suggested that a supply of crushed egg shell or oyster shell as a dietary supplement be made available on an elevated platform feeder.
“We are the future of our birds,” said Chambers. “Keeping purple martin nests is a great way to increase the population of the martins and for children to learn about nature.”
For additional information on purple martins, their nesting and ways to attract purple martins, go to www.purplemartin.org. The forum link is a way to discuss purple martin birding with other enthusiasts.
