"Being a Purple Martin Landlord

This is part of the article called
“Being a Purple Martin Landlord”
Written by Judith D Mitchell
Published in The Tri-State Senior News September 2004
Volume 18 Issue 1

         A purple Martin gliding smoothly above a hay field suddenly brakes; instead of landing the bird darts down to grab an insect.  With rapid wing thrusts it gains altitude then flies to its nearby gourd home.
         Sue Cardman, a Pennsylvania Purple Martin landlord, said, “I love to watch the martins fly. They are just the neatest birds, it’s like having pet birds out of doors.”
         Purple Martins living east of the Rockies have made a “Tradition shift” in their nesting requirements.  Woodpecker holes in trees were once the chosen nest sites of martins; now they nest only in man-made human supplied housing.
         The change started when Native Americans provided gourds on racks for martins to nest in. The primitive racks were made from saplings and pieces of rawhide.  These gourds became accepted housing for the cavity-nesting swallows.  Martins recognized the benefits of staying near people and their housing for protection from predators.  Native Americans were the first Purple Martin landlords.
         Today, Purple martins need landlords to supply proper housing in suitable locations.  Landlords can protect martins from predators and nest-site competitors when they learn the information that is available about martins.  Also, martins need landlords who will monitor the colony sites.
         Biological and practical information is available on the website www.purplemartin.org or by calling the Purple Martin Conservation Association.