Housing for purple martins differs from other avian residences. It needs to be elevated, at least 10 feet, on a pole away from trees that a cat or raccoon might climb. And it must be multifamily, as purple martins brood in colonies rather than the single pairs like most birds.
“This particular structure accommodates six couples, but if you’re confident that there are purple martins in your neck of the woods on a regular basis, you might want to build more than one of these,” says Chris Peterson in his guide to Build-It-Yourself Birdhouses. “This may look like an intimidating structure to build, but it’s less challenging than you might think. Except for the angled roof cuts and bevels, the fabrication is fairly straightforward. There are a lot of fiddly pieces, but measure twice and cut once and you’ll be fine.”
Centuries ago, Native Americans hung hollowed out gourds to attract purple martins for insect control and many bird enthusiasts still use them today.