Comments on: For Rent: Purple Martin Houses

By: susan

susan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:03:08 +0000

Just love reading about martins. Nice blog and I hope you continue to update on how your season went. Feel free to visit my purple martin blog anytime. Best of luck to Carol getting martins. I too know lots of folks who have martins on small lots in town. PurpleMartins-R-Us.com has all the requirements to put up martin houses if you need more info.

By: Connie

Connie — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:19:23 +0000

Uumm, how much is the rent? Lovely bit of real estate you have there.

By: RuthieJ

RuthieJ — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:36:31 +0000

Fabulous martin complex, Robin. Good luck to you. I’ll be anxious to hear how things progress once the scouts arrive in your area.

To Carol, I also want to add that I have visited several successful purple martin colonies in the middle of two nearby towns and one of them was completely OPPOSITE of what the books say an ideal habitat should be, so don’t give up hope. The biggest disadvantage of being in town is that it’s a greater battle discouraging house sparrows and starlings.

By: Shady Gardener

Shady Gardener — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:41:30 +0000

What a wonderful place for the purple martins! Certainly THEY would love it! You’ll have to keep us posted!

By: Commonweeder

Commonweeder — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:08:57 +0000

I love these gourd houses. They are indeed sculptural. We live in deep country and don’t do much in the way of building bird houses, but we do find many nests in the trees and shrubs. I always think I’d like to learn more about birds, but I never get much further than being able to distinguish a big bird from a little bird.

Hi Commonweeder,

Hah! That’s funny–big bird/little bird. For a long time, I mostly recognized LBJs–little brown jobs. I started with one bird that frequents most often. I found a very simple book–from the Stan Tekiela series for each state. It provides easy photos and brief descriptions. First one, then the second, then the third. Then, before you know it, you know all the birds at your feeders!

Robin at Bumblebee

By: Mr. McGregor's Daughter

Mr. McGregor's Daughter — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:57:33 +0000

I really like those gourd-shaped houses much better than the standard Purple Martin condo. They have a sculptural quality.

I agree. But I decided on the gourd houses after talking with experienced landlords who said that when given the option–gourds and condos together–the birds inhabited the gourds first. Plus, if I were a bird, I would prefer my own gourd!

Robin at Bumblebee

By: Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Carol, May Dreams Gardens — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:32:20 +0000

I’d love to have a condominium complex for purple martins, but sadly I can’t get 100 feet from any structures here in my suburban neighborhood!

I love yours made of gourds.

Hi Carol,

Actually, you might still be able to have martins. They want to be within 100 feet, not 100 feet away from a structure. Martins live very well in suburban areas too.

Robin at Bumblebee

By: Dee/reddirtramblings

Dee/reddirtramblings — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:32:02 +0000

Hope you get lots of hungry apartment dwellers to eat the mosquitoes in your yard.~~Dee

Hi Dee,

I WISH they ate mosquitoes. I have been reading that less than 3% of purple martins’ diets come from mosquitoes because they usually hunt high and mosquitoes live near the ground.

Perhaps that 3% will make a difference though!

Robin at Bumblebee