Purple Martin House Location

[CiK]

I can’t find any info about this anywhere and thought I would ask here. Purple Martins. Why do Purple Martin houses go on poles? Can’t they go on the peak of a shed just as well?

My wife wants houses to attract the birds. I want them too but don’t want to put 20’ poles up just for a bird house.

Thanks!

 

[Hunting Wife]

Martins prefer nest locations that have wide open flyways, hence the normal siting of houses on poles. Some good information here.

Location

www.purplemartin.org

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

My in-laws have a ton of purple martins every year. Most of their houses are on poles but I think they have a few on the top of their fence posts.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Ask Gerald.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Kestrels also like those high houses.

 

[fulldraw]

I have had martins for years and I use poles (18-20 ft.) and aluminum houses. I know some people use gourd houses also on poles. The main problem with getting martins is keeping the sparrows out of your house so I use sparrow traps all summer.