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

by Brown, Justin L.; Stokes, Lillian Q.; Stokes, Donald

• ISBN13: 9780316817028
• ISBN10: 0316817023
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-04-01
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Summary

Copiously illustrated with maps, line drawings, and full-color photographs, this large paperback books contains the essential information that backyard nature enthusiasts want and need -- to attract, identify, and understand purple martins to their backyard.

Author Biography

Donald and Lilian Stokes are widely recognized as America's foremost authorities on birds and nature. They are the hosts of the PBS series BirdWatch with Don and Lilian Stokes. Their books include the bestselling Stokes Field Guide to Birds (Eastern and Western editions).

Table of Contents

Introduction	6	(6)
The Joys of Purple Martins	6	(2)
Purple Martin Basics	8	(4)
Attracting Martins	12	(12)
Successfully Attracting Martins	12	(6)
Choosing Purple Martin Housing	18	(6)
The Life of a Purple Martin	24	(36)
Spring Arrival	24	(4)
What and How Do Purple Martins Eat?	28	(2)
Territory and Courtship	30	(4)
Purple Martin Language	34	(4)
Nest Building	38	(6)
Egg Laying and Incubation	44	(2)
Nestling Phase	46	(6)
Leaving the Nest	52	(4)
What Happens After Breeding?	56	(4)
Managing a Purple Martin Colony	60	(28)
Monitoring your Colony	60	(6)
Dealing with Competitors	66	(4)
Dealing with Predators	70	(6)
Controlling Parasites	76	(4)
Adverse Weather and Martins	80	(2)
Innovations to Your Colony	82	(6)
More About Martins	88
Western Purple Martins	88	(2)
The History of Purple Martin Colonies	90	(2)
Resources	92	(4)
Nest Record Chart	96