Photo © Richard Winegar

New Purple Martin Nest Box Plan

We are pleased to report that we have updated our Purple Martin nest box plan in the All About Birdhouses section of our website. The new plan, which accommodates six martin nests, features larger nest compartments and the option of crescent-shaped entrance holes (we recommend the crescent-shaped holes because they deter European Starlings). The plan also includes instructions for mounting on a pole with a pulley system for raising and lowering the house.

Many thanks to Mel Lehman, designer of the “Cedar Suite” martin house, for sharing his detailed plans with NestWatch. We’d also like to thank Joe Siegrist, of the Purple Martin Conservation Association, for assistance during the process.

To find out if you’ve got the right habitat and location to attract Purple Martins, and to download the free nest box plan, visit us online. Purple Martins are in decline in parts of their range, and are almost entirely dependent on human-provided housing. Please report any martin nests to NestWatch.org.