You've probably noticed that setting up a purple martin feeding tray can be the secret to keeping these social birds hanging around your yard all summer long. While most people think of purple martins as strictly aerial hunters that only grab bugs mid-flight, the truth is a bit more complicated—especially when the weather turns nasty. Having a dedicated spot to offer supplemental food can literally be a lifesaver for a colony, and it's also one of the best ways to get an up-close look at these beautiful birds.
Why Supplemental Feeding Matters
For a long time, the consensus was that you couldn't really "feed" purple martins because they only eat what they catch in the air. However, bird enthusiasts have figured out that when there's a cold snap or a week of heavy rain, those flying insects disappear. Without food, martins lose energy quickly, and a whole colony can end up in trouble in just a few days.
This is where a purple martin feeding tray becomes an essential tool. It's not just about giving them a snack; it's about providing a safety net. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, those dragonflies and beetles stop flying, and the martins start looking for alternatives. If you have a tray ready to go, you can help them bridge the gap until the sun comes back out and the bugs start buzzing again.
Picking the Right Design
When you're looking for a purple martin feeding tray, you don't need anything overly fancy, but it does need to meet a few specific criteria. These birds are used to wide-open spaces, so a tray that feels cramped or enclosed probably won't get much use.
Most successful trays are flat platforms with a shallow lip around the edge. The lip is there to keep the food from blowing away or falling off if a bird lands a bit too enthusiastically. You'll also want to make sure the tray has excellent drainage. If rain pools in the bottom, your mealworms or crickets will turn into a soggy mess pretty quickly, and the birds won't touch them. Look for mesh bottoms or trays with plenty of small drill holes.
Material-wise, you have a few choices. Cedar is a classic because it's weather-resistant and looks natural. High-density plastic is also great because it's incredibly easy to power-wash at the end of the season. Aluminum is another solid option since it's lightweight and won't rust, though it can get a bit hot if it's sitting in the direct afternoon sun.
What's on the Menu?
So, what do you actually put in a purple martin feeding tray? You can't just toss in some sunflower seeds and call it a day. Since these birds are insectivores, you have to offer things that mimic their natural diet.
Crickets are usually the top choice. You can buy them frozen in bulk, thaw them out, and spread them on the tray. Many "landlord" enthusiasts swear by crickets because they're easy for the martins to grab and swallow quickly. Mealworms are another fan favorite. You can use live ones if you want to see some movement, but dried mealworms are often accepted too, especially if you soak them in a little water first to rehydrate them.
Believe it or not, scrambled eggs are also a big hit. It sounds strange, but cooked eggs provide a great boost of protein and fat. Just make sure they aren't seasoned—no salt, butter, or oil. Just plain, dry scrambled eggs can be a real treat for a hungry bird on a chilly morning.
Don't Forget the Eggshells
One of the most important things you can put on your purple martin feeding tray isn't actually "food" in the traditional sense: it's crushed eggshells. Female martins need a massive amount of calcium to produce their own eggs during the nesting season. In the wild, they'd look for bits of bone or snail shells, but providing clean, crushed chicken eggshells makes their lives so much easier.
To prepare them, just rinse out your leftover eggshells, bake them in the oven for a few minutes to kill any bacteria, and crush them into small, pea-sized bits. Spread them out on the tray, and you'll be amazed at how quickly the martins swoop down to grab them. It's a simple way to support the health of the whole colony.
The "Flip and Catch" Training Method
Here's the catch: purple martins don't instinctively know that a wooden platform in your yard is a buffet. Sometimes, you have to teach them. This is often called "flipping."
If you see your martins sitting on their housing or a nearby wire, try tossing a few crickets or bits of egg into the air near them. Because they are programmed to catch things in flight, they'll often dive for the "falling" food. Once they realize that these little brown things are delicious, you can start placing the food on the purple martin feeding tray. They'll eventually make the connection that the tray is where the good stuff comes from. It takes a little patience, but once one bird figures it out, the rest of the colony usually follows suit pretty fast.
Where to Place Your Tray
Placement is everything. You don't want the tray tucked away in a corner of the yard or under a thick tree canopy. Purple martins like high visibility and plenty of "flight room." Ideally, the tray should be mounted on a pole near their housing, but not so close that it interferes with their flight paths into the nesting holes.
Keep it about 10 to 15 feet away from the main house. This gives them enough space to observe the tray from their porches before deciding to swoop down. Also, make sure it's at a height where you can easily reach it for refilling and cleaning. A telescoping pole or a winch system is a lifesaver here, so you don't have to haul out a ladder every single morning.
Keeping Things Clean and Safe
Like any bird feeder, a purple martin feeding tray needs regular maintenance. Since you're often dealing with "wet" foods like thawed crickets or scrambled eggs, bacteria can build up quickly. Try to only put out as much food as they'll eat in a few hours. If there are leftovers sitting out in the sun at the end of the day, it's best to toss them.
Give the tray a good scrub with a mild bleach solution (about one part bleach to nine parts water) every week or so, especially during the height of the summer. This prevents the spread of avian diseases and keeps the birds coming back.
You also need to keep an eye out for "uninvited guests." Starlings and house sparrows are notorious for trying to bogart a feeding tray. If you notice these invasive species taking over, you might need to temporarily remove the tray or look into selective feeders. Additionally, if squirrels or raccoons are an issue, adding a baffle to the pole is a must. You don't want your feeding station turning into a buffet for predators.
Watching the Magic Happen
There is something incredibly rewarding about watching a group of purple martins glide down to your feeding tray. It's a level of interaction you don't get when they're just zooming around 100 feet in the air. You get to see the iridescent sheen on their feathers and hear their distinct, liquid chirps up close.
Ultimately, a purple martin feeding tray is about more than just convenience. It's about being a good steward for these birds that rely so heavily on human-provided housing. Whether you're helping them survive a late spring cold snap or just giving the moms a calcium boost with some eggshells, you're playing a huge part in the success of the colony. It doesn't take a ton of effort, but the payoff—seeing those healthy fledglings take their first flights later in the summer—is totally worth it.