Purple Martin Propagators

Information may not be reliable

WE WORK FROM BASES IN AUSTIN & WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS.  WE TRAVEL ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS, LOUISIANNA, & OKLAHOMA TO INSTALL OUR PURPLE MARTIN HOUSING SYSTEMS. YOU CAN VIEW OUR PURPLE MARTIN HOUSING SYSTEMS ON OUR WEB SITE.

Purple Martins are the largest swallow in North America and are known as Aerial Insectivores (which means that they only eat flying insects that they catch while in flight).  Each bird will consume up to 2000 flying insects every day (mosquitoes, wasp, house flies, ballooning spiders, crickets, etc.).  This natural method of flying insect control was observed and utilized by Native American Indians who, for thousands of years, hung hollowed-out gourds around and in their villages to provide nesting cavities that would attract this very beneficial bird species.  In turn, this created the only semi-domesticated migratory bird in the United States.  Purple Martins also use human presence to ward off predators.  This is why Purple Martin Houses should not be placed more than 150' from where people gather on a regular basis.

Purple Martins are also Secondary Cavity Dwellers.  This means that they do not build cavities like wood-peckers, but, instead, they will migrate back to North America early enough to find empty cavities for building their nest in and raising young to the fledgling (flight) stage of development.  Today, however, Purple Martins are totally dependent on humans to provide them with housing for raising their young.  This is because of two species of European birds that were introduced to the United States: Weaver Finches (commonly known as English House Sparrows) in 1850 and European Starlings in 1890.  These are invasive species to native American birds and have multiplied to over a billion individuals per species.  And they, too, are secondary cavity dwellers.  But, they do not migrate like Purple Martins and have completely taken over all their natural nesting sites.  Worst of all, both species are VERY AGGRESSIVE and will attack and kill adult and young purple martins.  This is the reason why only Purple Martins should be allowed to live in Purple Martin Houses (NEVER allow other species to co-habitate with the Purple Martins in their housing systems).  If the Purple Martins cannot find a suitable cavity upon their annual return, they will not be able to raise any young that year. Today, the Purple Martin population is only about 10% in size as compared to what it was in the early 1930's.  The end result is that, without human intervention (which means putting up Purple Martin Housing Systems and maintaining them), Purple Martins could very well become extinct and no longer entertain use with their aerial maneuvers and appetite for all those nasty flying and biting insects.

Note:  In the southern states we are finding out that Purple Martin Landlords who are putting up and using METAL housing systems are actually COOKING approximately 40-50% of the eggs laid by the adult birds. We are asking that all southern bird houses either be made of plastic (but not PVC) or wood. We have received numerous reports from landlords of well-established colonies that the adult purple martins have abandoned their metal houses because very few if any of the eggs laid these last two very hot summers actually fledged out.

Purple Martin Propagators wants to ensure that these birds stay around for many more generations of Americans to enjoy and reap the benefits of their voracious appetite for flying insects.  We will only sell and install the best PolyGourd housing systems on the market so that Purple Martins will continue to be a part of our natural and man-made surroundings.