Evening star., 1949-02-14

this.
1t is just what martins do.
Seemingly, there Is no explanation Of why
they will come to q place. look it over. and
then fly away, even when all specification"
have been met.
All one can do is try to do what the
martins have shown they like.
Then, If they do not like what one does.
there is not much to be done about it except
wait.
Once they adopt a house and a place.
they are very likely to come back to it. year
after year.
Here is q summary Of what people have
found out about attracting martins:
The best house is one Of compartments.
Each one should be 6 inches square. The
entrance is 21a inches in diameter.
The hole is near the bottom, so that the
birds can just step out on their little
verandas and watch what Is going on.
They are very sociable.
This is believed to come about through
their feeding habits. They eat insects di-
rectly out of the air, and in doing so must
range far and wide, and therefore do not
have the proprietary air adopted by most
birds, who are dependent for nesting food
upon the insects close at hand.
It is essential to keep the houses clean.
This means that before the birds appear
in the spring. the human element in the
scene must take the whole affair down.
Now this is not easy, so the pole and its
heavy top must be so constructed that they
can be handled.
This is where many make their first mis-
take They put up the house to stand the
winds, and In so doing make it so rigid
they cannot get it down.
But the birds resent having to clean out
A. lp,f 10 mt
just martins.
Some sort of socket must be used and
the pole SO adjusted that 1t can be slipped
in and out
The height above ground is the second
mistake often made. The best height Is
between IS and 20 feet, with the latter the
favorite.
This means q very long pole, indeed,
usually one specially constructed.
The third mistake is in putting the pole
and its top-heavy house too close to build
ings
The farther in the open, the better.
Especially no shade from trees must fall
on the box at any time of day.
1t may be realized that to stand so much
sun. the houses must be Of very thick wood,
with good roofs
Good paint, with plenty of oil, should be
used White is best as it reflects the most
sun.
It must be left to every bird lover whether
the martins are worth all this.
But surely. if he gets them. and is able
to watch them seated at their doorways,
seeming to chat with each other in the
afterglow, he will think them worth all the
trouble they have caused him.
It should be stressed that the hole should
be made near the bottom of the box for
martins.
This is the only bird house entrance that
is put close to the bottom. All the rest are
to be placed above the center Of the box,
usually about two inches from the top.
Again let it be stressed that the martin
house is the only one that has compart-
ments for several families. Other birds
having adopted as a life pattern the terri
torial idea, stalking out a claim for land
as it were, will fight each other, If their
nests are too close together.
There are exceptions, Of course. Often
nests of such species as robins, titmice.
doves. song sparrows and others are found
not very far apart. But in general, it Is
best to put up bird houses aimed at attract
ing special birds, and putting them not too
close together.