Purple martins are fairly common across North Carolina. The state's population depends almost entirely upon mankind for its nesting accommodations. In the South, purple martins nest either in houses or gourds. Lee discusses how to build an inexpensive martin house and what type of gourds the birds prefer for nesting. He also discusses where to place the housing; what to expect after the martins settle in; natural enemies of purple martins; and food martins eat.