Purple Martin Forum

Thanks bird brain!
I looked back at my logs from 2025 and my first identified subbie arrived April 13th last year.

I appreciate your input and happy birding!

My birds has been here since 2/12 or so. I have not add a single SY bird (at least no males). My ASYs are all paired and porch or gourd dedicated at this point. Is it odd that I have not seen any SYs? I have 18 cavities in my trendsetter and 4 horizontal gourds below. Last night I counted about 22 b...

Tyler TX - there were 2 people in east texas that noted martins before I did and I have my trendsetter now ready! And… just a few days ago I heard the song of a Martin high up in the air! Did not get a visual- but then I heard and saw him!!! A scout singing loudly as if to say “I’m back and I am ann...

Tyler TX - there were 2 people in east texas that noted martins before I did and I have my trendsetter now ready! And… just a few days ago I heard the song of a Martin high up in the air! Did not get a visual- but then I heard and saw him!!! A scout singing loudly as if to say “I’m back and I am ann...

10 martins singing and happy as larks. No wing drooping. Going to be a busy season!

Hi everyone!!! My 3 martins made it! This week it’s warm, 70s during the day, low 60s at coldest and night temps are no longer expected to be freezing. The birds stay gone much of the day and do not hang out on the porches. There is one pair and one solo male here, sleeping in the Trendsetter 18 roo...

How do we know when they are hungry? I’m in Texas and never had the martins arrive so early and about 3-4 days of cold- with above freezing during the day . W I would think they could fly south towards warmer areas by instinct but obviously they don’t per this forum. I’ve got 3-5 martins at least th...

Question 1) I purchased the Trendsetter 18 compartment for my colony and in the #14 spot (posterior bottom right when facing from my porch- on south side of house) I had 10 eggs in one nest. I spoke with Kathy Laine, another landlord in Virginia and she said it was likely a sign of something wrong. ...

I have a photo I hope it will attach- to my surprise I had 10 eggs in one nest!!! My trendsetter 18 room has been popular but this is shocking! Any input- good or bad? I am near certain it is actual SY birds that had this many! Ugh says file too large. I can email- or if you want to contact me- text...

Can you send me pictures?

Thankyou CC Martin- however there are no rehabers in Tyler Tx that take purple martins. This is my 4th season and I have searched this year and years before. When I had a dark eyed junco hit it window in January I took him 4.5 hours away to Houston. I could do that possibly with the Martins. I’ve be...

I need help currently- see my post. I have 2 babies that need to be adopted by colony. Looking for East Texas locals- see my post today

Hello, I live in East Texas and I have 2 babies I have been feeding for about 6 days due to extreme heat and mother abandonment (inadequate feeding, followed by now absence for 2 days). The entire colony appears to have left for a roost somewhere. Once the babies are ready to fledged These are late ...

I am worried about them being too cold- last year arrived in Baton Rouge 2-22 and this year arrived per scout study on 1-11? That’s about 5 weeks early!

Anyone experienced this concern- and how should I prepare in East Texas?

Hi Sonja. Sounds like you’re having a good start with your vent improvements.. Using 1 inch 90 degree pvc elbow vents help a lot with ventilation .. drill a hole with a “metal spade or hole bit. Slip are screw the elbow vent in, and seal with silicone caulk. Here is a pic of one of my ventilated ol...

Hello this is my third or fourth year of providing a Purple Martins housing in my 1/4 acre yard in a subdivision in East Texas. This season I had fair results for survival for nestlings however the temperatures got so severely hot with example a heat index of 125 that I had lots of jumpers that I en...

Thank you so very much! I still hear the purple martins in the area in mid morning and have seen a few males but otherwise they are absent, and I suspect the heat is part of reason! Thankfully, I had several fledgelings survive- and my colony is still growing inspite of the 100 degree temps! Tom do ...

Hello all- I am needing help from the expert landlords. I have had several jumpers this year, likely due to the intense heat and there are No trees taller than the Martin house for hundreds of feet. I need to know how to shade my birds choice 3 story Martin house. This is the link: https://birdschoi...

I’m trying to attach the video I don’t know if it’s going to be too large of a file; files says error unfortunately

Hi Thomas, I took some videos last year of the PMs and the BS flying together and chasing off the predator birds (hawks, we have a Cooper hawk in the area that is particularly dangerous and has killed some of the song birds). I’m going to look for the video. It made me laugh- they were unifying for ...