Texas · Summer breeder

Purple Martins in Texas

When purple martins are present in Texas, when they nest, which native Texas plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6b–10a yard.

Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons

Status in Texas: Summer breeder
Nesting window: March–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6b–10a
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: Scouts can arrive on the coast in January.

When to expect purple martins in Texas

Purple Martins are summer residents in Texas, arriving shortly before nesting begins in March and leaving after the young are independent. Scouts can arrive on the coast in January. Through the season they feed on dragonflies, flies, beetles and moths; flying ants and wasps.

Humid subtropical in the east and along the Gulf, semi-arid to arid in the west; long, hot summers and short, mild winters over most of the state.

Nesting in Texas

Across Texas, purple martins typically nest from March–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.

Afternoon highs regularly exceed 95°F — nest boxes need shade or light-colored, ventilated construction, and water matters as much as food.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before February — 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 Texas plants that attract purple martins

Of the regional native plants we track for Texas, these 8 provide food or cover purple martins use:

Live oak

Quercus virginiana · Tree

Acorns and a huge insect load for foraging and nestling food.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Feeding purple martins through the Texas 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 Texas's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for purple martins

Frequently asked

Are purple martins in Texas year-round?

No. Purple Martins are summer breeders in Texas and leave for the winter. Scouts can arrive on the coast in January.

When do purple martins nest in Texas?

Nesting in Texas typically runs March–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–6 eggs, incubated for 15–18 days.

What native plants attract purple martins in Texas?

Live oak, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Texas 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.

Other backyard birds in Texas

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Eastern Towhee Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Black-crested Titmouse Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Spotted Towhee Canyon Towhee Gambel's Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Acorn Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Curve-billed Thrasher Verdin Pyrrhuloxia Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove Inca Dove

Sources

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.