1. Wood is the most commonly used material for purple martin houses, as it provides a safe, durable, and aesthetically pleasing environment for the birds to nest in. Most of your handmade martin housing is made using wood/lumber. The Amish have traditionally used wood to make their unique purple martin boxes. See some here.
2. PVC is used for purple martin houses as it is lightweight, durable, and easy to clean and cost-effective. Some martin landlords have used basic tools to modify the nest cavities to suit larger purple martin colonies. See the S and K brand here on our website.
4. Aluminum is an increasingly popular choice for purple martin houses, as it is lightweight, durable, and highly weather-resistant. Aluminum holds up better in the outdoor elements and provide your martins with a safe place to live and raise their young. A good mid range house and pole is the Coates houses made by Backyard Nature products out of Wisconsin. See the Coates houses here on our website.
The Coates houses are modular so you can add floors as your bird colony grows so no need to buy the biggest room right out of the gate. Another unique feature of the Coates brand is you can have them built at the factory and shipped to you if you don’t have the time to put your house together.
On the higher end of the aluminum martin housing is the Alamo and Goliad built by Lonestar. These houses are made durable and offer a complete pole and winch system that make raising and lowering the house a snap. See the Lonestar houses here on our website.
