Purple martins are a kind of swallow that live around humans. Mary Schmidt from Lichterman Nature Center talks about how to attract these insect eating birds to your yard. Purple martins are colony nesters and will come back to the same colony every year during the summer. In the winter they live in Brazil. East of the Mississippi River in the United States they live exclusively in man-made structures. Purple martins can be attracted to your yard if the habitat is right. They need a large open area where they can catch insects. You will also need to provide housing for the birds. There are three choices: natural gourds, plastic gourds, and multi compartment houses, and Mary talks about each option. She also talks about add-ons to the housing that help protect the birds from predators and some of the basics of maintenance of the nesting containers.

Mary checks the Purple Martin colony and finds baby birds:    • Checking Purple Martin Nests – Family...  

Here are some supplies Mary talked about: (Amazon Affiliate Links)
Basic Plastic Nesting Gourd: https://amzn.to/3wfwPST
Starling-proof Nesting Gourd: https://amzn.to/3UFDxe6
12-Room Purple Martin House with Pole: https://amzn.to/3UIA2ng
Pole with Pulley: https://amzn.to/4bivRUG
Predator Guard: https://amzn.to/3UGUbKt
Owl/Hawk-proof Gourd: https://amzn.to/4b5xHbN

0:00 - Introduction
0:12 - About Purple Martins
1:31 - How to Attract Purple Martins to Your Yard
2:20 - Types of Housing
3:12 - Choose Your System (Kind of Pole)
3:49 - Predators and How to Stop Them
5:40 - Watching Your Colony
6:13 - How to tell the Difference Between Male and Female
6:33 - Starling Resistant Gourd Entrances
7:09 - Where to Go to Get More Information

Here are some more videos about how to attract birds to your garden:
Birdbaths:    • Birdbaths – Family Plot  
Setting Up a Bird Feeder:    • Setting Up a Bird Feeder – Family Plot  
Birdhouses:    • Birdhouses - Family Plot  
Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder:    • Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder – Family...  

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