Tips For Building Purple Martin Houses 

Great tips you can use for building and caring for purple martin housing or other birdhouses.

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1. Organize your birdhouse building plans based on the species in your area and those you want to attract. There are numerous resources available that provide overviews of popular species in your area, as well as their respective feeding preferences. I find that searching online is free and easy; while also providing all the information needed. You may have spotted birds in your area and are not quite sure of the species. The online search can help you identify the bird by a photo or by various features of the bird. Your search words should include the question that you are asking or simple key words such as "birds in the northeast", "red birds in New Jersey", etc.

2. Be sure to have the proper tools and building materials. The tools and materials depend on the final product you want to hang or display. Birdhouse building projects range from a simple basic birdhouse built from wood scraps to complex decorative designs requiring the purchasing of materials. The choice of tools obviously is determined by the design you choose. It can be the simple and traditional box-style birdhouse with a roof; or a highly precise and complex decorated structure. For a basic design, you can get by with a hand saw, hammer, drill, ruler and screw driver. Likewise, the material list for the basic birdhouse is also simple. Some scrap wood, preferably 1" x8"x 10", wooden dowels " x 4" long, a 1" drill bit, waterproof wood glue, finishing nails or galvanized wood screws. A more complex birdhouse design will require additional tools and materials.

3. Take the time to select the proper paints and/or stains. The right selection of finishes is critical to insuring that your bird house remains durable over time. When you complete your birdhouse, there is a feeling of pride and accomplishment. You certainly want it to last through the harsh weather conditions associated with extremely hot summers and cold snowy winters and everything in between. Use only exterior paints and polyurethane finishes for your bird house project. Make sure you properly prepare wood finishes by sanding off the burrs and blemishes first. Lastly, never apply paints or stains to the inside of the birdhouse.

4. Properly hanging and placing a birdhouse will get you the most activity. Placement of your birdhouse is as important as the structure itself. Poles, fences, and trees are the most common objects that bird houses hang from. A metal pole is my first choice, as it harder for predators, like snakes and raccoons, to raid the nest. Poles are also easy to maintain. While it could be more work to install a pole for your birdhouse, the benefits may outweigh your efforts. A pole can be placed in a location that brings maximum visibility; enabling you to enjoy your hobby while also providing accessibility for maintenance. From an aesthetic point of view however, I prefer hanging my birdhouses on trees.

5. Caring for your birdhouse is relatively simple if you build it with an easily removable roof or wall AND drill drainage holes in the floor. The drainage holes not only remove rainwater, but provide air flow that helps keep insect population low. At the end of each season I recommend you remove the bedding. Make sure the drainage holes are clear so that any water accumulation is not present thus avoiding winter icing and potential cracking. Visually inspect the birdhouse and check for loose screws and other damages. Repair as necessary. You and others are now ready to enjoy another season of your handy work and see nature as it is intended.

Author: Vincent Saponar

Vincent Saponar lives in North Western New Jersey, and has been an avid birder and outdoorsman for many years. He owns many different binoculars and has considerable knowledge and expertise around not only binoculars, but other sports optics instruments as well, i.e., night vision devices and rangefinders. For more helpful information on binoculars and other sports optics instruments, I recommend visiting http://onesourceoptics.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vincent_Saponar

Bird-X Songbird Magnet Successfully Lures Purple Martins

Danny here from Purple Martin Propagators in Austin, TX. I’ve installed over 1200 Supergourd Purple Martin Housing Systems in the last 3 years and have found that using the SongBird Magnet speeds up the colonization process.

15th Annual Purple Martin Field Day Event

Topics to be covered include: * how to establish and increase a colony of Purple Martins; * advantages and disadvantages of different types of martin housing; * how to protect Martins from starlings, House Sparrows, owls, …

Bird House Buying Guide or How to Choose the Right Bird House

Purple martins are the biggest members of family of swallows. The purple martin house had to size 6 inches across on the inside and must have an entry of two and a half inches in diameter. Purple martin houses must be colored with white.

Attract Purple Martins

Over one million North Americans maintain housing for Purple Martins. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of these folks successfully attract breeding martins. Below is a list of the top ten reasons why so many people fail.

Purple Martin Conservation In Milwaukee

We’re looking to obtain unused purple martin housing of any type, to be refurbished if possible, and re-installed on better locations – both to attempt to establish new colonies, and expand existing ones.

Female Purple Martin

I guess something like 80% are attracted due to nest housing set up by Purple Martin lovers on the west coast..some do find natural habitats for breeding but most are from birders The males are gorgeous too.

Purple Martins

I really like using gourds for purple martin housing. They are so easy to care for and lightweight. If I was rich and had an established purple martin colony though, I would definitely get one of these Lonestar purple martin houses.

How to Build a Roof Ten Things To Consider

The only exception to wood is Purple Martin Housing — many are made out of Metal. Roof Overhang The roof should overhang the entrance hole by 1 to 2 inches. This both shades the entrance hole and keeps the rain out.

The Next Level Of Bird Study

If you would like to learn more, see the Purple Martins in Wisconsin blog at http://puma-in-wi.blogspot.com/ We need more used martin housing in good condition, or donations for new housing, poles, gourds, and other equipment.

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