"They're simply beautiful," says Michael Rasco, owner of http://UtopiaBirdHouses.com. "What's more, they're built by people who have been purple martin landlords for years. They took what they know about purple martins, and improved upon conventional birdhouse design."
Texas-based Lone Star builds purple martin birdhouses called "San Jacinto", "Goliad", and, of course, the "Alamo". There are several very handy accessories available, such as perching rods and nest trays, which help make purple martin landlording easier and more enjoyable. The most significant design advance is a very simple one: the nesting compartments are built deeper. Each "apartment" in every Lone Star purple martin house is a full twelve inches deep, virtually eliminating loss of birds due to hawk or owl attack.
Mr. Rasco also believes that this new line of purple martin birdhouses helps to invigorate http://UtopiaBirdHouses.com's stewardship initiative.
"First, it shows the good works of the people at Lone Star, who clearly set an example of stewardship. These birdhouses look great, and people will want them based on looks alone. If we can give these folks good information about maintaining a purple martin colony, we can go a long way in sustaining the species."
Purple martins are migratory birds that are almost exclusively dependent upon humans to provide housing during the summer breeding season. Known for their impressive flying skills, purple martins perform amazing aerobatic feats while hunting for the flying insects that make up their diet. Many believe these show stopping stunts are what gave rise to the close relationship between man and martin. People enjoyed watching the birds, so they began to develop techniques to attract purple martins. Humans encroached further and further into the martins' territory, clearing the trees that once provided the birds' homes as they went. Soon, the only options for the birds were the artificial purple martin birdhouses provided by people. Thankfully, purple martins are very accepting of humans, even allowing them access to the nest.
The availability of quality purple martin birdhouses, along with the stewardly efforts of many good-hearted people has provided this eye-catching species a window of opportunity to return to prominence.
"Only time will tell," says Rasco, "but I think we're becoming more conscientious about the world around us, so I am definitely optimistic."
