It’s Purple Martin breeding season!

Purple Martins are large swallows that nest together in colonies. This species is completely dependent on nest boxes for nesting sites in the eastern United States. Purple Martin “landlords” can help these birds by creating martin-friendly housing and mounting them on a pole 10 to 17 feet high and placed 30 to 120 feet from human homes. The housing should also be at least 40 to 60 feet away from nearby trees in order to provide a clear glide path for approaching martins. Nest compartments that are 12 inches deep and 6 inches wide provide additional safety from predators.

Audubon Mississippi has erected 24 gourds, a popular form of Purple Martin housing, in the Audubon At Home demonstration garden at the Bird Conservation Office in downtown Vicksburg. You can watch the martins nesting in one of these gourds on a live camera feed by going to www.msaudubon.org/martin.

And be sure to check out Audubon’s fact sheets on other Birds To Help in your community at www.audubonathome.org/birdstohelp/.

Take Our Healthy Yard Pledge

Create healthy habitats in your backyards and other spaces by planting native species, removing invasive plants, reducing pesticide use, conserving water, protecting water quality, and keeping birds safe. Your actions can help make a difference. Take the online pledge today and tell everyone you know to do the same.

Bird populations are in decline as suitable habitat continues to be lost to development, forestry, agricultural, and other land uses. With 2.1 million acres converted to residential use each year, how you landscape and maintain your yard can make a difference for bird conservation and environmental health. You and your family can enhance your enjoyment of your property by making it a more welcoming place for birds and a more balanced part of the natural community. Audubon At Home is about taking individual conservation action that can sustain birds, other wildlife, and healthy habitats in our yards and neighborhoods. The links and resources here will give you the information and tools you need to make a difference.

Photo by Lynn Betts, USDA NRCS	Eliminate or Reduce Pesticide Use Nearly ¾ of all U.S. households use some type of pesticide, often unnecessarily. Click here to learn more about pesticide risks and healthier alternatives.
Photo by Tim McCabe, USDA NRCS	Conserve water Nearly 8 billion gallons of water are used daily in the U.S. for outdoor purposes, mostly landscaping. Read more about the role you can take in water conservation.
Photo by Amy Smith, USDA NRCS	Protect water quality Stormwater runoff is a leading cause of pollution of our nation’s waterways and water bodies. Did you know 1 quart of oil dumped down a storm drain can cause an oil slick 2 acres in size? Click here to learn more.
Lowell Urbatsch@USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database	Remove exotic plant pests Purple loosestrife, English ivy, kudzu, Japanese honeysuckle... Did you know that these and other familiar plants pose a growing threat to native wildlife? Read more…
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database/Herman, D.E. et. al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook. USDA NRCS ND State Soil Conservation Committee; NDSU Extension and Western Area Power Admin., Bismarck, ND	Plant native species What are native plants? Why are they important to birds and other wildlife? Click here to explore these and other questions.