How to Attract Purple Martins Co-authored by wikiHow Staff
Last Updated: October 2, 2025 References
Choosing a Location for Housing
|
Deciding on the Housing Structure
|
Attracting Them to the Houses
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 20,448 times.
Purple Martins are large broad-chested swallows that are known for their iridescent dark blue-purple color.[1]X Trustworthy Source The Cornell Lab of OrnithologyResearch lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth's biological diversity through research and education about birds Go to source If you live in the eastern half of the United States and you provide an appealing enough living environment, you just might have some Purple Martins nest in your backyard during the summer. Make sure to set up the housing in an open area that’s close to your living space. To maximize your chances of attracting Purple Martins, provide housing that has multiple compartments and is safe from predators.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Choosing a Location for Housing
1 Stay within 120 feet (36.6 m) of your living space. Over time, Purple Martins have come to view humans as protectors because the birds are less often harmed by predators when humans are nearby. Because of this, you’ll have much more success with attracting Purple Martins if you set up their housing no further away from your house than 120 feet (36.6 m).[2]XResearch source
2 Pick an open area. Purple Martins are aerial feeders, meaning they need open air space in order to find insects to eat. Because of this, they tend to live around meadows, fields, and farmland. If possible, put the birds’ housing near these kinds of habitats. If you don’t have access to these, any clearing should work fine. Advertisement
3 Put the housing at least 40 feet (12.2 m) away from any trees. Areas with a lot of trees, such as mountain tops, repel Purple Martins. Surrounding trees allow some of the Purple Martins’ predators, including hawks, to easily ambush, capture, and kill them. Purple Martins will only feel safe living 40 feet (12.2 m) or further from tall trees; 60 feet (18.3 m) is ideal.[3]XResearch source
If you’re trying to attract Purple Martins in the southern half of their breeding territory, then you may be able to get away with having trees 25 feet (7.6 m) away from the housing.[4]XResearch source
4 Choose a location with access to water. Purple Martins prefer large natural water sources to smaller man-made ones, such as birdbaths. If possible, set up your Purple Martin housing near a pond, lake, or stream to improve your chances of attracting them. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Deciding on the Housing Structure
1 Buy martin houses for an easy solution that Purple Martins like. While they’re the more expensive housing options, conventional martin houses are easier to find and purchase. They’re also a good option because they last longer and are easier to clean between seasons. You can also choose to build a conventional martin house. This will require more work, but less money.
Conventional martin houses typically cost between $75 and $275.
If you choose to build a conventional martin house, expect to pay $40-75 and spend 15-30 total hours building it.
2 Build gourd houses for an affordable option that the birds enjoy. Either buy fake plastic gourds, or purchase real ones that are large, have short stems, and have thick skin. If you go with real gourds, cut a 2-inch (5 cm) entry hole in the side of each one and 4 ¼-inch (0.64 cm) holes in the bottom for drainage. Finally, cut two more ¼-inch (0.64 cm) holes in the top of each gourd for hanging, and remember to clean out all pith and seeds before mounting.
Gourds typically reach near 100% occupancy while martin houses only make it to about 60%.
3 Go with durable wooden structures. You can get or make Purple Martin housing structures that are made of wood, metal, or plastic, but wood is the best choice. Go with a durable wood, such as cedar, that will hold up against the elements over time. Wood is also porous, which makes it better at providing insulation.[5]XResearch source
4 Paint the houses white. Purple Martins are most likely to be interested in the housing you provide if it’s white or a light pastel color because these colors best reflect the sun’s light. The Purple Martin’s young are less susceptible to dying of heat stress if they’re inside of a white structure.[6]XResearch source
5 Put the houses on poles at least 10 feet (3 m) tall. Purple Martins will nest anywhere between 10 feet (3 m) and 20 feet (6 m) from the ground. If there are absolutely no trees around, you can put the housing structures 10 or 12 feet (3 or 3.7 m) high, but you’ll need to place them closer to 18 or 20 feet (5.5 or 6 m) if there are trees nearby.[7]XResearch source
6 Make the housing stable and stationary. If the structures spin or twist, the Purple Martins may become disoriented and leave. Securely mount the houses to a telescoping pole and secure the pole in concrete. This way, you’ll have easy access to the houses and the Purple Martins will feel safe and secure.[8]XResearch source
7 Make sure the houses have desirable compartments. Your martin houses or gourds should have 12-24 6 inch x 6-inch x 6 inches (15.2 cm x 15.2 cm x 15.2 cm) compartments that are completely separated from each other. Purple Martins like having many different “rooms” in their homes.
8 Provide perches and good ventilation. Because Purple Martins prefer open spaces, they get more sun exposure. Keep the birds cool by providing housing that allows some airflow. Purple Martins also enjoy sunbathing, so they’ll be interested in a structure that has perches on the outside. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Attracting Them to the Houses
1 Open the housing 4-6 weeks after the “scouts” arrive. Depending on your location, the birds may be in your area sometime between January and June. The key is to keep an eye out for them. The first ones that arrive will be the older birds, or the “scouts,” who likely already have a place to nest. Open your housing 4-6 weeks after the scouts first arrive, because this is when the younger “yearling” Purple Martins should be arriving.
2 Don’t allow other species to inhabit the housing. Other birds, such as House Finches and Tree Swallows, may move into the housing before any Purple Martins get a chance to. If this happens, you’ll have to clean out any nests, trap and remove the birds, and then clean the houses out. Plug the entrance holes with paper cups until you see the Purple Martins coming around.[9]XResearch source
3 Make the houses seem lived in by Martins. Purple Martins won’t be interested in living in housing that looks abandoned or undesirable to others, because they feel safer in large numbers. Put a Purple Martin decoy on one of the perches, smear some mud inside the houses, and play the Purple Martin dawn song nearby so that the birds think Purple Martins already inhabit the space.[10]XResearch source
4 Put cones and collars on the poles to protect from ground predators. Predators, such as raccoons and snakes, are able to get up the poles and into the housing. Put cones or collars on each pole so that the Purple Martins will feel protected. Advertisement
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Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 20,448 times. 27 votes - 86% Co-authors: 9Updated: October 2, 2025 Views: 20,448Article SummaryX
To attract purple martins to your yard, start by getting birdhouses designed specifically for purple martins since they can be picky about where they nest. Then, find an open space that's at least 40 feet away from any trees, and put the birdhouses on poles that are at least 10 feet tall. Purple martins won't nest around trees or close to the ground, so make sure the birdhouses are out in the open and high up. Once you've set them up, try placing a couple of purple martin decoys on the perches since purple martins feel safer in large numbers. You should also clear out the nests of any other birds that try to inhabit the birdhouses so they don't scare away nearby purple martins. To learn how to make your own purple martin birdhouse, scroll down!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Lynette Spitz
Feb 17, 2020
"Giving the location (height and distance from our house) and surrounding habitat was great help to know where to put my housing."..." more
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Lynette Spitz
Feb 17, 2020
"Giving the location (height and distance from our house) and surrounding habitat was great help to know where to put my housing."..." more
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Co-authored by: wikiHow Staff wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 20,448 times. 27 votes - 86% Co-authors: 9 Updated: October 2, 2025 Views: 20,448 Article SummaryX
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1 Stay within 120 feet (36.6 m) of your living space. Over time, Purple Martins have come to view humans as protectors because the birds are less often harmed by predators when humans are nearby. Because of this, you’ll have much more success with attracting Purple Martins if you set up their housing no further away from your house than 120 feet (36.6 m).[2] 
2 Pick an open area. Purple Martins are aerial feeders, meaning they need open air space in order to find insects to eat. Because of this, they tend to live around meadows, fields, and farmland. If possible, put the birds’ housing near these kinds of habitats. If you don’t have access to these, any clearing should work fine. Advertisement 
3 Put the housing at least 40 feet (12.2 m) away from any trees. Areas with a lot of trees, such as mountain tops, repel Purple Martins. Surrounding trees allow some of the Purple Martins’ predators, including hawks, to easily ambush, capture, and kill them. Purple Martins will only feel safe living 40 feet (12.2 m) or further from tall trees; 60 feet (18.3 m) is ideal.[3] 
4 Choose a location with access to water. Purple Martins prefer large natural water sources to smaller man-made ones, such as birdbaths. If possible, set up your Purple Martin housing near a pond, lake, or stream to improve your chances of attracting them. Advertisement 
1 Buy martin houses for an easy solution that Purple Martins like. While they’re the more expensive housing options, conventional martin houses are easier to find and purchase. They’re also a good option because they last longer and are easier to clean between seasons. You can also choose to build a conventional martin house. This will require more work, but less money. 
2 Build gourd houses for an affordable option that the birds enjoy. Either buy fake plastic gourds, or purchase real ones that are large, have short stems, and have thick skin. If you go with real gourds, cut a 2-inch (5 cm) entry hole in the side of each one and 4 ¼-inch (0.64 cm) holes in the bottom for drainage. Finally, cut two more ¼-inch (0.64 cm) holes in the top of each gourd for hanging, and remember to clean out all pith and seeds before mounting. 
3 Go with durable wooden structures. You can get or make Purple Martin housing structures that are made of wood, metal, or plastic, but wood is the best choice. Go with a durable wood, such as cedar, that will hold up against the elements over time. Wood is also porous, which makes it better at providing insulation.[5] 
4 Paint the houses white. Purple Martins are most likely to be interested in the housing you provide if it’s white or a light pastel color because these colors best reflect the sun’s light. The Purple Martin’s young are less susceptible to dying of heat stress if they’re inside of a white structure.[6] 
5 Put the houses on poles at least 10 feet (3 m) tall. Purple Martins will nest anywhere between 10 feet (3 m) and 20 feet (6 m) from the ground. If there are absolutely no trees around, you can put the housing structures 10 or 12 feet (3 or 3.7 m) high, but you’ll need to place them closer to 18 or 20 feet (5.5 or 6 m) if there are trees nearby.[7] 
6 Make the housing stable and stationary. If the structures spin or twist, the Purple Martins may become disoriented and leave. Securely mount the houses to a telescoping pole and secure the pole in concrete. This way, you’ll have easy access to the houses and the Purple Martins will feel safe and secure.[8] 
7 Make sure the houses have desirable compartments. Your martin houses or gourds should have 12-24 6 inch x 6-inch x 6 inches (15.2 cm x 15.2 cm x 15.2 cm) compartments that are completely separated from each other. Purple Martins like having many different “rooms” in their homes. 
8 Provide perches and good ventilation. Because Purple Martins prefer open spaces, they get more sun exposure. Keep the birds cool by providing housing that allows some airflow. Purple Martins also enjoy sunbathing, so they’ll be interested in a structure that has perches on the outside. Advertisement 
1 Open the housing 4-6 weeks after the “scouts” arrive. Depending on your location, the birds may be in your area sometime between January and June. The key is to keep an eye out for them. The first ones that arrive will be the older birds, or the “scouts,” who likely already have a place to nest. Open your housing 4-6 weeks after the scouts first arrive, because this is when the younger “yearling” Purple Martins should be arriving. 
2 Don’t allow other species to inhabit the housing. Other birds, such as House Finches and Tree Swallows, may move into the housing before any Purple Martins get a chance to. If this happens, you’ll have to clean out any nests, trap and remove the birds, and then clean the houses out. Plug the entrance holes with paper cups until you see the Purple Martins coming around.[9] 
3 Make the houses seem lived in by Martins. Purple Martins won’t be interested in living in housing that looks abandoned or undesirable to others, because they feel safer in large numbers. Put a Purple Martin decoy on one of the perches, smear some mud inside the houses, and play the Purple Martin dawn song nearby so that the birds think Purple Martins already inhabit the space.[10] 
4 Put cones and collars on the poles to protect from ground predators. Predators, such as raccoons and snakes, are able to get up the poles and into the housing. Put cones or collars on each pole so that the Purple Martins will feel protected. Advertisement 