Purple Martins - high flying friends

My aunt was married to a man called Martin. To complete the landscape in the House of the Martins she put up a birdhouse purple martin. This is where I had my first experience seeing purple martins are zoom at his home in multiple cameras in the middle of the field. First I had awakened by the sound of the martins chirping early in the morning and learned to appreciate this semi-domesticated bird.

Purple Martins spend the winter in South America, especially Argentina and Brazil. Come north in the spring to mate. You can find from Mexico to the South of Canada and along the West Coast and in the desert Southwest of United States. However, their main nesting area is East of the Rockies in United States.

Man and purple martins have enjoyed another company for years. Native Americans discovered that martins nest in a gourd that had a hole in one side. Native Americans were thrilled to have these birds around because she pursued other birds and ate insects that destroy crops. When settlers arrived from Europe quickly realized the advantage of having martins closely and it would also establish houses squash. As development, disappeared from the natural cavities and were forced to use human provided housing. Purple martins, especially of the Rocky Mountains, are absolutely dependent on humans to provide nesting areas for them.

Why would someone want provide housing for purple martins, or become owners who provide housing are called? There are many reasons to want to purple martins around:

1 Martins love being around humans. The activity more human, more seem to enjoy it. Finally people to be part of their landscape and not fly like other birds when around humans.
2 That you can put in an air show. They are very good flyers, with an average of 17 to 27 miles per hour. You can dive, you can plan and they can entertain for hours.
3 They have a song very nice chirping sing for hours.
4 Martins are very loyal. When they start housing have provided will be return year after year.

Some people want to attract purple martins because they believe that these birds eat mosquitoes. They are insect eaters, but rarely eat mosquitoes. Martins eat during the day and very high up in the air. Most mosquitoes come out at night and remain close to the Earth. Purple Martins and mosquitoes rarely cross paths.

If you decide to become an owner, have responsibilities to help them. They should help in their fight against starlings and the English Sparrow.

Purple martins need help with housing, not only because they grew accustomed to it but also because of the introduction of the starling and the English Sparrow in the early 1800s. They are birds of the cavity as bluebirds and purple martins housing. These newcomers are very aggressive and both of these native species have caused much problems since his arrival. He is responsible for nesting sites even after martins have established their nests. English house sparrows and starlings have come to destroy the eggs of purple martins, or even kill adult martins. These enemies by Purple martins must defend:

1. Using Crescent starling resistant in the form of tickets to the home.
2. Houses for activity monitoring Sparrow or starling. Martin houses are generally mounted 12 to 15 feet in the air, an owner will have a pole that easily allows the House be lowered to the ground and check the starling or activity English Sparrow.
3. Sparrow setting traps to catch sparrows trying to enter the martin House. When a Sparrow is captured should be relocated away or destroyed.

After protecting the martins of starlings and House Sparrows English, needs to protect before other predators such as raccoons, squirrels and snakes. Usually some type of pole or barrier Guard will do the trick. Despite the fact that the houses are of 12 to 15 feet above the ground, snakes, cats, squirrels, etc can climb that high.

The main predator to purple martins is the OWL. Fly to houses, docking and reach inside to get everything. It is very difficult to protect against the owls. In general, if there are owls around his house probably not you should try to attract purple martins.

What kind of a house martins prefers? Like a White House, probably because it is colder than any other color. Like a big minus 6 "x 6" House but bigger is better. They are not as territorial as other birds by what they like to be together. They want their high houses (12 to 15 feet above the ground) and trees. A large body of water close by is a plus. Purple martins eat and drink in the Act. So you will never use a feeder birds and almost never in a bird bath. They have been able to use swimming pools.