Purple Martin House Information

Proper Placement and Specifications
for Purple Martin Houses

Many home owners put up housing for Purple Martins, but are unable to attract breeding martins because they don't place their houses in proper purple martin habitat. Placed properly, your purple martins will reward you by returning to your garden every year.

The proper placement of your martin house is important because martins have very specific space requirements. Your purple martin house should be placed in the center of the most open spot available, about 30-120 feet from human habitation. There should be no trees taller than the martin housing within 40-60 feet. Your house should be placed 10-20 feet in the air and keep tall bushes, shrubs and vines away from the pole.

The best martin houses should be painted white. A white purple martin house reflects the heat of the sun, keeping nestlings cooler. Compartment floor dimensions should measure at least 6" x 6". Compartment height can be from 5" to 7" high. Place entrance holes about 1" above the floor. Hole size can range from 1-3/4" up to 2-1/4". Look for housing with easy access to compartments to check on martin nestlings or clean.

Purple Martins are monogamous, and the male and female will share equally in building the nest out of mud, grass and twigs. The female lays 2-7 eggs at a rate of 1 per day. The female incubates the eggs for approximately 15 days, then the young birds hatch. Both parents will feed the young for a period of 26-32 days until they fledge. The young continue to be dependent on their parents for food and training for an additional 1-2 weeks after fledging.

Once purple martins have bred successfully at a specific location, the same individuals return year after year. Martins may arrive and begin nesting as late as the end of June, and in July and August this year's young will be scouting for next year's breeding sites.

Learn More about
The Purple Martin

Learn more about Purple Martins at the Purple Martin Conservation Association