Expert: Julia Booth - 10/20/2008

Question
Thanks for taking a look at my question. My wife's family currently runs a golf course in South Western PA, up in the Laurel Highlands close to Ohiopyle, PA (about 75 miles east of Pittsburgh). We have a lot of bugs on the course and I want to declaring organic warfare on the bugs. I am planning on adding about 5-6 bat boxes on the course and also plan on adding Purple Martin houses as well.

I have talked to a few bird folks in my area and no one is sure how successful I will be. From looking online I do believe they are in our area but not in very large concentrations. I have some good locations from what I have read. We have several open places on the course near water, not close to trees or woods or human structures.

Can you clear up for me what the chances of attracting a Purple martin colony is in my area. I realize that they might take more than a year to arrive. If that is the case and the Martins do not appear when they should, will it hurt the chances of attracting them next year if I allow other species of birds to use the house?

Thank you.

Answer
Sorry for the delay.

The chances of attracting ANY wildlife are merely touch and go. You can buy all the right stuff and they still might not come. But then one year you will have 500 of them.

With Martins, the key is having a house with enough holes. They like selection and they also like their houses way up high. That's about all I can tell you. Also, they are fond of gourd houses. I'm not sure if you found that out, during your research.

Just follow the directions and you should get some sort of results. You're in the right location, for the most part.

Hope this helps,

Julia