Gourds Make Ideal Birdhouses
Long ago, Native Americans recognized the benefits of attracting purple martin
colonies to their villages and so they would hang natural
gourds as nests. So great was their interaction that over multiple
generations Purple martins have become “semi-domesticated” and still prefer to
nest in gourds. In the Eastern USA, they are almost exclusively
dependent on man made bird houses.
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Artwork by Canadian artist Gerard Frisheteau
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Purple martins' playful behavior and happy singing provided endless
entertainment around the villages, but when predators or strangers approached,
these birds were quick to alert the tribe with distinctive alarm calls.
Probably Native Americans used their regular morning song as an alarm clock and
their annual cycle of arrival, egg laying and departure may have worked as a
calendar helping them keep track of the seasons!
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Most importantly, purple martins eat thousands of insects a day, acting as natural bug zappers and
bringing much needed relief on balmy summer nights. Welcome the company of
these lovely birds into your yard by hanging a few
gourd bird houses as the Indians did!
To learn more about purple martins, visit the PMCA at
www.purplemartin.org.
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Gourd Bird House Tips
Gourds are great not only for
attracting purple martins but also make great nests for chickadees, wrens,
nuthatches and other small birds.
Their ability to sway in the wind makes them less likely to be taken over by
sparrows and starlings.
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Hang your gourd bird houses away
from bird feeders and in a location as safe as possible from cats and other
predators.
Hang your bird houses no more than 120 feet from your home.
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Lucuma Designs bird houses have drainage holes and no perch to discourage
predators from visiting the nest.
Their natural charm, uniqueness, and hand carved beauty makes them ideal not
only for the garden but you can hang them indoors as a natural accent!
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