When it comes to shoe shopping, I have always been one of those people that goes crazy in the stores. I absolutely love finding a great shoe that will work for my style, and when the price is right, I just have to invest. About three months ago or so, I realized that there were some issues with my current shoe selection, and it really paid off. I started looking for higher quality shoes, and before I knew it, I had a few pairs of great shoes that I really loved having. This blog is all about choosing higher quality shoes and being able to wear them for as long as possible.
Purple Martins are a particular type of swallow. The females have dark blue feathers on top, and lighter feathers on the belly area. Males are covered with dark blue feathers, and often have a forked tails. Purple Martins are especially appreciated by homeowners because they primarily eat winged insects like flies, gnats and sometimes mosquitoes. Here's how to lure these valued birds into your own backyard.
Supply a Nesting Spot
Purple Martins prefer to live high up in the air. Their natural nesting habitat would be at the top of the tall, thin branches of a tree. They like their nest to be the tallest structure around. Ornithologists suggest that Purple Martins are happiest when they are high in the air, so install your Purple Martin birdhouse atop a ten to twenty foot pole. When you shop for your Purple Martin birdhouse for sale, ask about the availability of a pole to go with it.
Provide Space
Purple Martins are territorial, and they like open plenty of open space around their nest, likely because this makes it easier for them to hunt flying insects. The birdhouse should be centered in the middle of an open area that supplies between 20 and 60 feet of empty space between the birdhouse and the nearest trees or buildings. Refrain from planting ground shrubbery or vines around the base of the pole, or decorating it in any way.
Make it Cozy
Purple Martins like to live in a community setting, so birdhouses designed for this kind of bird resemble tiny little apartment buildings. There will be at least two levels, but often three. Each "floor" will have openings for a set of three nests on each side of the four corners. You can help make your Purple Martin nest cozy by first painting it white on the sides, with a green roof. Each season after the baby Purple Martins have left their nest, bring it down from the pole and clean out the birdhouse. This will discourage other bird species from moving in and using the bedding supplies inside. If your Purple Martin adults return and find interlopers in their birdhouse, they'll make their nest elsewhere.
Purple Martins can help keep flying insects at bay, but they are also provide beautiful acrobatic shows in the air as they swoop to catch their prey. It may take a year or two to attract these entertainers to your yard, but once they show up, these tips will help you to keep them coming back.
Share10 February 2015
