The Stokes Purple Martin Book: The Complete Guide to Attracting and Housing Purple Martins

This is an excellent book. It's very informative. This is my first year to put up a Martin House. I learned a lot from reading this book.

Twenty years ago the air above the narrow street outside our little row house in Costa Rica used to teem with swallows dashing about in the later afternoon coolness. I loved to watch their antics, finding in their effortless twists and turns a vicarious agility. When we moved house and the swallows were no longer part of our end-of-day joys, I knew that I must someday remedy this situation by having a Purple Martin house that would persuade the similar martins to take us into their company. It's March, 2007 in Indianapolis and a late snow lies on the ground. The Martins will be here within weeks if prognostications are accurate. From the comfort of my easy chair and a laptop bookmarked to several vendors of Purple Martin houses, I've read through the excellent Stokes Guide. These people have a rare gift for understanding the bird in question but also for speaking to the level of the interested, reasonably intelligent novice, a reader who knows very little of the topic but is capable of getting up to speed with just a little help. That assistance comes in the form of inviting prose and beautiful photos, all presented in an affordable format. I know a whole lot more about Purple Martins than I did just an hour ago and am just about to order that house and telescoping pole. Heck, this frozen ground can't last forever and those newbie Martins will be looking for a place to call home. We'll leave the light on.

My husband and I invested in a Purple Martin House, but didn't have a clue how to entice them to our back yard! I have several of the Stokes bird books and have always found them informative, easy to use, and excellent photography. I found all of this to be true in their Purple Martin Book.The book starts with Purple Martin basics, how to attract, and something I hadn't even thought of, when to expect their arrival. Each section of their breeding range has a different date, the Gulf Coast being approximately Feb. 1st, so I need to get ready in a hurry! Also covered, is their behavior, selecting housing, egg laying to leaving the nest. Dealing with predators and parasites. I don't think there was a "stone uncovered"!If you just enjoy learning about birds, this book is a joy. For me, I am hoping in a few short weeks, I'll be a Purple Martin landlord!

Educate yourself before you buy a Purple Martin house. Reading this book is a great beginning. Many houses sold are not suitable and you will end up with a sparrow house. The Stokes have thorough information and nice photographs in their book. I also recommend you join the PMCA (Purple Martin Conservation Association), Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, PA, 16444 if you are serious about being a martin landlord.

Feeding wild birds has always brought me pleasure. When I decided I would like to attract a colony of purple martins to my backyard I thought it would simply be a matter of buying a martin house and enjoying the birds once they moved in. I soon found out that becoming a purple martin landlord is a bit more complicated. This book provided a wealth of information about all aspects of attracting and keeping purple martins. From the book, beginners to this hobby learn about various housing types, placement of houses, as well as when and how to successfully attract martins. This book is beautifully illustrated with full color photographs of adult martins and nestlings.I think this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in keeping purple martins as a hobby.