The Coates Purple Martin Mansion
The Cadillac of Martin Houses

This "condo-style" birdhouse attracts insect-eating Purple Martins to take up residence and graze your yard for all their food needs.

These birds are the largest North American swallow, their flight patterns are often erractic and hysterical to watch. These swallows are meticulously clean, very friendly to humans, and a natural predator to common yard insect pests. Their prime food is flying insects. One bird can eat as many as 2000 mosquitoes or 400 flies/leafhoppers per day!

These lightweight aluminum houses come complete with: ventilated roof, metal base, door plugs, ceiling panel, porch dividers, guard rails, reflective roof, hinged doors, top perch, information and all necessary hardware.

All bird house components are made of cool, easy to clean aluminum, and the 3 section standard or heavy duty poles (purchased separately) telescope from 5 feet - 12 feet , giving easy access. There is nothing that will rust or rot in an aluminum house. Even the white-painted portions of the houses should endure at least 30 years without peeling or fading due to the elements.

Original	Starling Resistant	WatersEdge Suites

Martins are the only birds totally dependent on humans for housing. The houses should be erected during winter to attract birds for the nesting season. The male scouts arrive first, then the females and younger birds follow one to two weeks later. When they arrive, they do not nest right away, as some believe. They will feed for several days, build up their strength from the long flight, and then search for the proper nesting site.

Late nesting (May) is very common for the martin, for two reasons. First, the young birds (last season's fledglings) need to settle down, mature and learn by observing the older birds. Second, birds disrupted during their first attempt to nest, due to improper housing or predators, will choose another site to nest.

• Purple Martin FAQ in .pdf format.