Build A Purple Martin House

Rare swallows nest at Greenwich Point

Friends of Greenwich Point President Amy Burke, left, and board member and Audubon volunteer Mike Aurielia watch purple martins flying around the gourds nesting structure at Greenwich Point, on Tuesday, June 14, 2011. The Friends of Greenwich Point installed a purple martin nesting structure in April, organized by Aurelia. Photo: Helen Neafsey / Greenwich Time

Greenwich Point is once again being colonized.

This time, not by the British.

A colony of Purple Martins, a rare member of the swallow family that gets its name from its colorful plumage, has found a home at the 147-acre waterfront park where the town's first settlers landed. In the Eastern United States, Purple Martins are heavily dependent on human-supplied nesting sites.

"I think they've got some of the best real estate in town," said Amy Burke , president of the Friends of Greenwich Point.

The organization, working with former town wetlands Director Michael Aurelia , built a nest for the birds near the park's entrance in April.

It didn't take long to find its first tenants. The only other colony of its kind in town is on a private property near Riverside Yacht Club , according to Aurelia, who is also a member of the board of directors of the Friends of Greenwich Point.

"There's not enough room in Riverside. So the scouts are looking for lodging," said Aurelia, an avid birder.

The largest member of the swallow family, the insect-eating migratory bird favors nesting places in open areas away from trees and buildings, according to the purple martin Conservation Association .

The nesting season extends from June to August, with spending winters violet Martin in Brazil.

"Swallows have been associated with people as long as people have been interested in animals," said Aurelia.

Among the most famous bird devotees talk-show pioneer Phil Donahue, who keeps a webcam trained on a colony swallow at his home in Westport.

Friends of Greenwich Point bought a dozen plastic water bottles and tied them with a pole-top winch that allows volunteers to lower and raise the nest for inspection and maintenance.

The nest is anchored to the ground by a concrete block built by Frank Rupp, a foreman, marine and port operations department. The pods are modeled after plastic water bottles used by real American Indians as nests.

To deter intruders such as starlings and owls of squatting, the openings of the nests are crescent shaped.

The Purple Martin House w/birds – photograph – Guide by Cell ...

Report submitted by Charley Burwick

Report: There are now two active Purple Martin nests in the house at Close Memorial Park- Lake Drummond.  Four eggs in both nests.  There are regularly 4-5 PMs flying around the area, and sometimes as many as 8-10.  The house sparrows, and starling to seem to have quit trying to build nests in the house.  Good news indeed.  Charley

Try it, dial 417.213.3016 using your cell phone follow instructions and enter 68#.

Script: Look up!  The Purple Martin birdhouse is hoping for a breeding pair of purple martins to take up residence. We are all still waiting, but once martins nest at this location, we would expect them to come back every year! The purple martin is a neo-tropical migrant that travel from Central and South America to brreed during the warmer months. Purple martins are an asset to the garden as they eat hundreds of flying insects. Their aerial aerobatics are fun to watch! They only eat flying insects like flies, midges, Japanese beetles, cicadas, bees, and wasps, which they catch in flight. Matins live in colonies and are completely reliant on humans for their shelter. Purple martins will make nests in gourds and houses. When deciding on a location for a house, please consider that martins have very special aerial space requirements. Housing should be placed in the center of the most open spot available, about 30 – 120 feet from human housing. There should be no trees taller than the martin housing within 40 feet, preferably 60 feet. Generally, the farther the housing is placed from trees the better. Sighting the house near water is also beneficial. Bird houses do require some maintenance. Because martins nest high it can be seen as a challenge to properly maintain the house. Special mounting poles with winch systems or telescoping mechanisms will allow you to access the house. Houses need to be inspected on a daily basis after the nest boxes are opened in the spring in order to keep other birds like house sparrows, and starlings from taking over the house. After the purple martins have begun to nest, the boxes should be checked on a weekly basis to track nesting progress, and to keep the boxes clean from mites, and other insects. After the purple martins have migrated back south, houses should be cleaned, and closed up until it is time for the purple martins to return the next spring.