World’s Largest Purple Martin Apartment Complex

Address: 8383 S. FM 1915, Davilla, TX.    (254)-593-0030

Touted as the “World’s” largest Purple Martin Complex on the internet, the A- 4 Martin Ranch in Davilla, Texas is a site to see, especially for the Purple Martin enthusiast. Mike McCormick is the owner and he designs and builds all of the houses out of aircraft aluminum. He tops them with a weather vane and a unique colored glass ball.

When we visited, my wife and I met Mike’s brother Tommy who welcomed us and gave a tour of the colony.  We counted 55 houses, each with 12 compartments and a ‘billboard’ with 312 compartments on both sides which total a whopping 1,284 to compartments (approximately since we could have missed a house or two). There are hundreds of martins present on the houses and actively flying across this ranch environment. There is also a large tank/pond by the colony which the birds take full advantage of, often skimming the water’s surface.

While we did not meet Mike, Tommy was a very nice guy and gracious host and he encouraged me to return because “Mike could talk for hours about these birds”. I was glad we made the detour off of I-35 and I hope to visit again.

John Pearson