Purple Martins

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Fred

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How many have martin houses? I have two 12 hole houses that I put up each year. They showed up on February 14 this year. I think I have 3 pair so far, hope more are on the way.
 
I have a 12 plex in my front yard.. I love the martins they will be here in May. The sounds they make remind me of that little robot from star wars, 3cpo or something..It makes me wake up with a smile when I here those birds singing their little hearts out at 5 in the morning.

I am jealous that you have them already as when they show up here it means spring has definitely sprung..Also they are great for mosquito control.. :)

Enjoy your new arrivals.. :tiphat:
 
we have 2 12 hole martin houses.but i havent seen them here yet this year.but theyll be coming soon.
 
Heard one this morning. Have two houses up, total of 20 spaces. Have another 4 holer that blew down year before last. Guess I should see about getting it back up.
 
So what do Purple Martins do? Raise a brood down in Texas, Louisiana then fly North and raise another? Purple Martins arrive here about Memorial Day, nest and are gone by August. where do they go from here?
 
We have 3 different purple martin poles with 16 plastic gourds each on two tiers. Built it out of steel pipe and old timey hay rake prongs. Quite a sight when all are full especially just before a rain shower.

We've had them for years and love them. We are looking for the scouts (early visitors) any day now. :nod:

HUS
 
Angie, they are actually black. The sheen of their plumage gives off a purplish hue. Good skeeter eaters.
 
Ohh,I love to watch them fly!! A few minutes sitting on the porch watching and listening to that happy burbble will make most of your troubles slide right off... And if you're also blessed with barn swallows,well,I'm envious
 
Toby L.":36no3pue said:
When I first read the subject I thought it said purple martians, I thought that they finnally came down to get us. :)

That's what I call them. That tweetering noise they make drives me nuts. I prefer swallows, no noise and they really eat the bugs
 
Around here it seems the martins are at peoples places on lakes, that is were you see people with a lot of martin houses, is that were you all are seeing them mostly or is this at your farms and ranches? Away from lakes we get the barn swallows. I built a house once years ago and got tree swallows but no martins at my farm. I heard once that one purple martin will eat 2000 mosquitoes a day.
 
hayray":2xjp3f7n said:
Around here it seems the martins are at peoples places on lakes, that is were you see people with a lot of martin houses, is that were you all are seeing them mostly or is this at your farms and ranches? Away from lakes we get the barn swallows. I built a house once years ago and got tree swallows but no martins at my farm. I heard once that one purple martin will eat 2000 mosquitoes a day.


Mine is in my yard at the farm/ranch...I can't be bothered with putting up Martin homes at our lake front cottages... :lol2: ;-)

Dun, the funny noises they make are what make them so very unique ...How can you not love them ..I think the Martins are part of the Swallow family..We have tonnes of Tree Swallows as well. :???:

Three years ago we put up a crap load of Swallow houses around the home quarter ,,,what a difference in mosquitoes it has made.. :cowboy:
 
hayray":ftjy4op3 said:
Around here it seems the martins are at peoples places on lakes, that is were you see people with a lot of martin houses, is that were you all are seeing them mostly or is this at your farms and ranches? Away from lakes we get the barn swallows. I built a house once years ago and got tree swallows but no martins at my farm. I heard once that one purple martin will eat 2000 mosquitoes a day.
I think the main thing they like is having a clear path to fly to their nests without trees or buildings to block their path.
 
They look like barn swallows except barn swallows are kinda ugly (how is it the males always get the pretty feathers????). I like little barn swallows too ~ but I don't know that I have seen these before. I like all birds but am partial to killdeer.
 
hillsdown":3mepe5l8 said:
I think the Martins are part of the Swallow family..

They are the larfest of the swallow family. If the stupid things would shut up once ina while it wouldn;t be so bad. I'll tick with the barn and cliff swallows, silent killers!
 
martian.jpg


I thought this thread was about purple martians ...


:lol2: :oops: oops
 
A buddy of mine has cliff swallows building nest on the over-hang of his barn. I'll take any type of swallow I can get, we have a lot of wetland and I think without them we would have a worst mosquito problem then we have. I also see some bank and rough wings flying over the swamp but they never come near the barn like the barn swallows.
 
john250":q4cqhw3u said:
They are really good with the mosquitos. The love to find a farmer cutting hay. They'll follow all day long, right above the cutter.

And that is amazing to watch. I've had them follow me all day while cutting hay.

Whats even better is when the dragonflies do it. One day last summer while cutting hay, I was totally protected from skeeters by hundreds of dragonflies. Felt like I had my own military helicopter escort. :nod:
 

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