Purple Martins in Ontario
When purple martins are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
- Nest box
- 1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in) hole, 6 × 6 in minimum (6 × 12 in preferred) floor, 10–20 ft on a telescoping pole, 40+ ft from trees
- Range note
- Southern Ontario.
When to expect purple martins in Ontario
Purple Martins are summer residents in Ontario, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Southern Ontario. Through the season they feed on dragonflies, flies, beetles and moths; flying ants and wasps.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, purple martins typically nest from May–July. Nest site: in the East, nests almost entirely in human-supplied martin houses and gourds. Females lay 3–6 eggs, incubate for 15–18 days, and young leave the nest after 26–32 days.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — purple martins begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
- Use a 1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in) entrance on a 6 × 6 in minimum (6 × 12 in preferred) floor, mounted 10–20 ft on a telescoping pole, 40+ ft from trees.
- Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
- Clean out old nests after each brood and again after July.
Native Ontario plants that attract purple martins
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover purple martins use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Feeding purple martins through the Ontario year
Purple Martins do not use feeders. Supporting them means supplying correctly built colony housing in the open and managing House Sparrows and starlings.
- Best foods: Crushed eggshells (calcium) offered on a tray near housing.
- Avoid: Seed and suet feeders — martins will not use them.
- In Ontario's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are purple martins in Ontario year-round?
No. Purple Martins are summer breeders in Ontario and leave for the winter. Southern Ontario.
When do purple martins nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–6 eggs, incubated for 15–18 days.
What native plants attract purple martins in Ontario?
Sugar maple, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for purple martins.
What size birdhouse hole do purple martins need?
1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in), with a floor of 6 × 6 in minimum (6 × 12 in preferred) mounted 10–20 ft on a telescoping pole, 40+ ft from trees.
Purple Martins in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
Sources
- Purple Martin — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Purple Martin life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Purple Martin — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- Purple Martin Conservation Association — housing guidelines
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.