Creek Indians in America used gourds for centuries as Purple Martin Birdhouses as well as for storing and protecting their corn from the animals. Purple Martins eat flying insects captured in flight, including many larger flying insects which have led many farmers and rural homes to make Purple Martin gourds to attract them. The Creek Indians realized this and for centuries they grew large kettle shaped gourds for the purpose of housing Purple Martins for insect control. As a result, many wild Purple Martins are already accustomed to using gourds for nesting, so much so there are companies producing plastic Purple Martin house gourds in hopes that these birds will not distinguish between plastic look alike and the real thing. Once Purple Martins have adapted a suitable nesting ground, as long as their homes are taken care of, cleaned or replaced yearly, they will return along with the next generation. Some Purple Martin lovers literally have an annual nesting of 100’s to 1,000’s of Purple Martins. One of the most interesting aspects of Purple Matins is they are the only bird in North America that has developed a total dependency on Humans for their existence. Without humans providing nests for Purple Martins, they would rapidly become a rare, if not extinct bird in America due to a loss of their nesting places. Before humans provided them nesting homes, they used old woodpecker nests, but woodpecker nests are normally only found in standing dead trees which now are generally cut down and cleared by man for new growth or for firewood.
We hope you take time to explore our site and view some of the beautiful artwork that turns these gourds from a utilitary device to a beautiful piece of home decor fit for even the finest art collections.
