Best Martin Housing for the North Part of PM Range

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Bernie Nikolai
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:44 pm
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Since my colony is located at 53 degrees latitude north (and 6 miles south of 31'48" to get really specific), I have come to learn a lot about martin housing and nesting preferences in the north country. Its been a long haul, but here are the numbers of pairs by year at my main colony site:

1998-2002 - 5 years of trying, zero pairs.
2003 - one single pair of ASY birds...FINALLY!
2004 - two pairs of ASY birds
2005 - two pairs again of ASY birds
2006 - 10 pairs, including my first SY pair
2007 - 28 pairs
2008 - 44 pairs
2009 - 56 pairs
2010 - 56 pairs again
2011 - 80 pairs
2012 - ? but hoping for 100 pairs.

This year I have 128 large compartments on 10 poles, and this will be the maximum size ever of my colony. I figure I'm close to the "super colony" (100 pairs) size, so after all these years, I may as well go for it :lol:

So here are "Bernie's Rules" for successful northern housing for martins, all found out from trial and error...:

1/ Never, ever use metal housing. Its far too cold in the north. While martins might on occasion use metal housing in the north if nothing else is available, they often lose young in the cold temperatures common here in the spring. I'd say metal housing is not suitable anywhere in Canada, including southern Ontario. I'd suggest that the effort to repopulate southern Ontario's martins would be far further ahead by now if large compartment wooden housing had been used instead of metal. Metal works great if you live in Texas or Florida or the South, but is a poor choice in my opinion for the northern and even central part of the purple martin range.

2/ Only use large compartment housing with SREH. Martins readily start new colonies with 100% SREH, so don't use round holes which almost guarantee starlings if you have 6" x 12" compartments. The only two significant colonies I am aware of here in Alberta that use round holes have one thing in common. The owners are retired and enjoy watching their colonies for several hours on a daily basis (literally) and control the starlings this way. But unless you have the time and interest to do this, go 100% SREH.

3/ Wood, Styrofoam (with a fiberglass/epoxy shell for durability), thick shelled natural gourds, and plastic housing WITH GREAT STUFF INSULATION ON THE INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC all do a great job in the north.

4/ You will inevitably take your losses by weather, hawks, merlins, etc. Be philosophical. We can't take life too seriously. We never get out of it alive anyways. We can only do a good job for our martin friends, learning as we go. So try hard to enjoy the hobby "without the angst".

Here are some photos of the housing at my northern colony, taken today, Monday, May 21, 2012:
Attachments
8 unit North Star with Insulated Stovepipe gourds underneath. The metal Stovepipe is insulated inside with either heavy cork or Great Stuff Insulation. Floor is wood or Styrofoam
8 unit North Star with Insulated Stovepipe gourds underneath. The metal Stovepipe is insulated inside with either heavy cork or Great Stuff Insulation. Floor is wood or Styrofoam
May 21 2012 Purple martins 028.jpg (37.06 KiB) Viewed 2134 times
Brown Bo Villas with SREH tunnels work well. The plastic chalets are insulated inside with Great Stuff Insulation, and spray painted brown inside with Krylon Fusion paint.
Brown Bo Villas with SREH tunnels work well. The plastic chalets are insulated inside with Great Stuff Insulation, and spray painted brown inside with Krylon Fusion paint.
May 21 2012 Purple martins 010.jpg (69.33 KiB) Viewed 2104 times
This 10 compartment home made cedar house has 7" x 12" compartments, and fills up every year. The martins seem to chose the housing with "artwork" first over the plain white housing. They probably have a sense of humor...
This 10 compartment home made cedar house has 7" x 12" compartments, and fills up every year. The martins seem to chose the housing with "artwork" first over the plain white housing. They probably have a sense of humor...
May 21 2012 Purple martins 030.jpg (36.96 KiB) Viewed 2141 times
Cedar Chalets hung on a gourd rack are probably the number one martin attractor in the north country. Martins prefer them over all other types of housing up here.
Cedar Chalets hung on a gourd rack are probably the number one martin attractor in the north country. Martins prefer them over all other types of housing up here.
May 21 2012 Purple martins 034.jpg (58.57 KiB) Viewed 2145 times
A photo of part of the housing in the colony. There are 128 large compartments, 100% SREH
A photo of part of the housing in the colony. There are 128 large compartments, 100% SREH
May 21 2012 Purple martins 003.jpg (51.46 KiB) Viewed 2166 times
He who harbors the nesting bird shall have health and happiness all the year
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Emil Pampell-Tx
Posts: 6743
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas

That is quite an assortment, and I agree with what you say. Its so good that you no longer use metal housing. I never did like metal housing and would not use it even here in the hot South.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Matt F.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:48 am
Location: Houston, TX

Great post Bernie!
You have put together some wonderful data over the years.
I like the "Bernie's Rules"..... 8)
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