How to Attract Purple Martins
The placement of a Purple Martin house if very important factor in the success of attracting Purple Martins. You will need to place your martin house about 15 feet above ground. As far as getting martins to come to your house, location is the most important factor. It needs to be 50 feet away from large trees, it will work with less but martins need a large approach area to land and distance from predators that may be lurking in the trees. It should also be within 100 feet of your house or other building structures, martins actually like having humans around. Placing the house in close proximity to utility lines is a plus, martins like to perch in close proximity to their home. You should also avoid having vines or shrubs located directly below the martin house. For the first year, you should open the house about 1 month after you first see purple martins in your area. There is also a dawnsong tape or CD (from the Purple Martin Conservation Association http://www.purplemartin.
