Martins are a type of swallow that often nest in man-made martin houses. Attracting these beneficial insect-eating birds to your yard can be rewarding but requires some knowledge about martin behavior and preferences. This article will provide tips on where to place martin houses, what kind of houses martins prefer, and how to manage the houses from season to season.
Where should you place a martin house?
Choosing the right location is key to attracting martins to nest in your martin house. Here are some things to consider about placement:
- Mount the house 15-20 feet high – This allows easy flight access to the entrance and reduces predation.
- Place the house within 30-50 feet of an open, grassy foraging area – Martins eat flying insects and like having open areas nearby to hunt.
- Face the entrance east or southeast – This helps shade the interior from hot afternoon sun.
- Avoid close trees and shrubs – Martins like having clear flight paths to their house.
- Maximize the distance from human homes – Martins prefer more isolated locations away from human disturbance.
Ideal sites are in open fields, pastures, or lawns with a clear view to open sky nearby. Avoid densely wooded areas or sites surrounded by buildings or tall trees. By carefully considering placement, you can make your martin house as attractive as possible.
What kind of martin house should you use?
Martins are quite picky when it comes to their housing. Making sure you have the right type of house for your location will increase your chances of martins moving in. Here are some martin house features to look for:
- Multiple compartments – Groups of martins nest colonially, so houses with 6-12 or more compartments suit them well.
- At least 6″ x 6″ floor dimensions – Martins prefer roomy apartments for their nests.
- Ventilated – Air flow is important so look for houses with ventilation holes under the roof.
- Easy access – Extended porches and landings make access easier.
- White color – Martins seem to prefer white houses over darker colors.
- Made from durable material – Untreated wood, aluminum, or vinyl last longer than other materials.
Avoid small capacity houses or ones made from flimsy materials, as martins will ignore them. Shop for a properly sized, well-constructed house designed specifically to attract martins.
When should you put up and take down the martin house?
Proper seasonal management of your martin house will keep the nesting habitat in top condition for martins:
- Install the house in late winter before any martins arrive – This gives them time to scout for nest sites early in spring.
- Take the house down after all young have fledged in late summer – This prevents other birds from moving in.
- Clean out old nests and sanitize the compartment floors with a 10% bleach solution – This helps control parasites between seasons.
- Make any needed repairs in the off season – Fixing leaks or damage keeps your house in good condition for next year.
- Reinstall the freshly cleaned house in late winter – Aim to have it up before any scouts arrive in your area.
Following this seasonal cycle will mimic natural nesting cavities used by martins before human houses were available. Keeping your martin house maintained and on schedule will ensure it remains a desirable nesting spot.
How can you attract martins from other nesting sites?
Attracting martins away from their existing nesting sites takes some extra effort. Here are a few techniques that may entice them to your martin house instead:
- Use multiple martin houses near each other – Martins are attracted to colonies, so start small with 2-4 houses together.
- Place the houses near a productive foraging area – Abundant insects nearby help persuade martins to investigate.
- Install a sound system that plays martin chatter calls – Broadcasting their social sounds draws in investigating martins.
- Have patience! It may take several seasons before martins accept a new site.
Having properly located houses that offer safe nesting cavities, plus open foraging areas and social attraction methods, can eventually convince martins to relocate over time. But it does require commitment to the process over multiple years.
What supplies do martins need in their compartments?
Martins do not bring any nesting material into their compartments. They rely on the homeowner to provide the supplies they need to build their nests:
- 2-3 inches of nesting substrate – Fine pine straw is recommended, placed in each compartment.
- Mud puddle near the house – Martins collect mud to seal cracks in the nest and entrance hole.
- Nest guards or inserts – These keep nestlings from falling out of the compartment before fledging.
Be sure to add substrate each season since old material is removed when cleaning. A mud puddle can be created using landscaping techniques or a simple kids’ plastic sand/water pool. Nest inserts should be custom fitted for your house compartments.
What maintenance does a martin house require?
Regular maintenance on your martin house will ensure the best experience for both homeowners and martins:
- Monitor parasites – Clean out nests and treat for parasitic nest mites if infestations occur.
- Check for leaks – Repair any exterior holes or roof leaks to keep interior dry.
- Clear porches – Brush down cobwebs and remove any dead nestlings.
- Mow around the house – Keep vegetation short around the base and landing area.
- Trim vegetation – Prune any nearby trees and shrubs to avoid encroaching growth.
- Paint or stain – Freshen exterior once per 3-5 years to protect from weathering.
It is also critical to take down, clean, and sanitize the entire house at the end of each nesting season. Complete annual maintenance will give martins a clean and welcoming home to raise their young each year.
How can you reduce house sparrow and starling issues?
House sparrows and European starlings are major competitors with martins for nest cavities. Here are some recommendations to deter them:
- Block all entrance holes before martins arrive and after they fledge.
- Install specially designed crescent or oval entrance holes.
- Regularly monitor compartments.
- Use plastic owl or snake decor near the house.
- Trap and humanely euthanize house sparrows.
This prevents sparrows and starlings from moving in first.
The smaller opening size excludes larger sparrows and starlings.
Promptly remove any sparrow or starling nesting attempts.
Sometimes these deterrents discourage the unwanted birds.
Reducing this population may help over time.
Be vigilant and take action at the first sign of sparrows or starlings trying to take up residence. Keeping them excluded will give martins one less challenge as they establish nests.
What predators threaten martins?
Several common predators may target martins around the birdhouse. The main threats are:
- Hawks – Mostly a danger during martin flight and aerial hunting.
- Owls – Can pick off perched adults or grab young martins in the compartments.
- Snakes – May climb poles to access nests and consume eggs and nestlings.
- Cats – Excellent climbers that pluck nestlings from cavities.
- Raccoons – Raid compartments at night for eggs and baby birds.
- Sparrows – Will enter martin nests and peck eggs or small nestlings.
Proper placement, maintenance, and monitoring helps minimize these risks. Avoid sites near woods where owls, snakes and raccoons live. Mount baffles on poles to thwart climbing snakes and cats. Control sparrows to limit their damage. Being aware of common predators will help you identify and address any threats.
What diet and food supplements do martins need?
Martins are insectivores and capture all their food while flying. Some key prey items include:
- Dragonflies
- Damselflies
- Bees
- Wasps
- Flying ants
- Beetles
- Caddisflies
- Mayflies
They feed almost exclusively on insects that develop near water or in moist soil. Placing the martin house within sight of ponds, streams, marshes and irrigated lawns provides ideal hunting grounds.
During times of bad weather or low insect populations, you can supplement their diet with mealworms, crickets, or dried flies. Offer these substitutes in trays mounted on poles near the house. With an abundant flying insect food source available, martins will devote their energy to successfully raising young.
How do you monitor martin activity?
It helps to understand martin behavior and track occupancy patterns at your site. Useful monitoring techniques include:
- Observe flight patterns – Note martin activities around the house at dawn and dusk.
- Watch arrival and departure – Record dates when martins first appear in spring and leave in the fall.
- Count occupied compartments – Track which and how many cavities have active nests.
- Note nesting stages – First eggs laid, then nestlings, followed by fledglings leaving the house.
- Identify banded birds – Report leg bands to determine if they nested here before.
Continual monitoring provides data on the house’s usage and productivity. You can then use this information to make improvements that support increasing martin numbers over time.
What can be done to improve martin reproductive success?
If your martin house has regular occupancy but low numbers of young produced, there may be ways to help more babies survive to fledging:
- Reduce compartment competition – Install more cavities per house and spread birds out.
- Lower incubation fatigue – Provide shading over portions of the house.
- Supplement diet – Offer substitute foods during weather events.
- Control parasites – Keep nests clean and treated with approved products.
- Limit predators – Use pole guards and sparrow deterrents.
- Minimize disturbances – Allow sufficient isolation from human activities.
Troubleshooting issues that commonly reduce reproductive rates can lead to more martin young being successfully raised in your colony. This helps bolster their populations over the long term.
Conclusion
Attracting martins requires commitment to proper siting, housing, and management practices. But the benefits of hosting a thriving martin colony are well worth the effort. The aerial displays of scouting, courting, and feeding are entertainment enough. But martins also provide natural insect control, making outdoor time more pleasant. And nothing quite compares to the excitement of peeking into nests to spy on growing martin families. Follow the guidance in this article to turn your martin house into a coveted residence that swarms with these amazing birds each season.
