Purple Martin Forum

I always tell new landlords just starting out to check out existing colonies close to you, and start by using the same housing as they are. I hear this a lot and it may work. I think its better to surpass/exceed the housing of nearby colonies if you can afford it. If they are offering 1 or 2 star h...

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Knock on his door and talk to him. He'll be more than happy to discuss his martin history with you. Make sure you have some pictures to show him. Martin landlords are very proud of their colonies and love it when others (especially neighbors) show interest. I've known my closest landlord for 2 years...

I started off with an S & K house also. I only kept it one year. Flimsy poles, cardboard floors, cardboard walls, inaccessible attic rooms, plastic doors, made in China. It's a martin slum. The definition of a martin slum is an S&K house. A simple neighborhood investigation can determine if there ar...

I've a couple of gripes about the S&K houses. The doors that swing up and down are made of flimsy plastic. An owl can easily grab and rip these doors off the hinge exposing all for an easy meal. Also, shooting house sparrows is a problem. I only pump my Benjamin twice for a house sparrow kill. Even ...

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-11860/Drums/Plastic-Drum-with-Lid-30-Gallon-Open-Top-Blue I think this might work. Add enough concrete first to stabilize, and let it cure. Drill some drain holes just barely above the cured concrete so rain wont be an issue. Then add gravel to the top for extr...

1 1/2 inch will have a substantial sway, even though it's schedule 40, especially with heavy housing made from wood. 2 inch is the minimum recommended for square poles, 2 3/8 for round poles. 1 1/2 inch may support your housing, but it will have a heavy sway, and be undesirable housing, in my opinion.

If your neighbors have bird feeders, forget about the repeating traps. Who can blame them? Why go through all the maneuvers required by a repeating sparrow trap, when all I need to do is land on the neighbors bird feeder safely hung high in the air and eat to my hearts content? Eventually, your mart...

Does your housing have extra ventilation such as PVC elbows? Your first year means they probably got a late start which means more heat, especially in Louisiana. That many dead birds sounds like heat related illness to me. I have 2 PCV elbows on each gourd and I drilled extra holes in the bottom of ...

The wind isn't responsible for the pellet gun mishaps. Pellet guns need to be sighted in, adjusted, and practiced with regularly. Only then can you expect to hit something as small as a house sparrow. Buy some paper targets, make sight adjustments, and practice. It's not that easy to hit a HOSP. Pra...

I never close cavities. I consider my housing a house sparrow massacre magnet. I want to expand my HOSP free radius as far as I can. I want as many sparrows as possible to attempt occupation of my housing. The more sparrows that attempt occupation of my housing, the more sparrows I have the opportun...

Why do you allow sparrows? 12 years?

I've had an SY male for almost 2 weeks. I don't expect him to succeed in finding a mate. Will he most likely return next year and will he most likely return earlier? Thanks

That martin house looks like something you bought at the bird store or big box store. That house might work in ideal terrain, but not your terrain. You might try upgrading your housing such as larger cavities, more cavities, more variety of cavities. The more geologically challenged your site is, th...

Has this ever happened? I assume an entire colony could abandon one site for another as soon as the chicks can fly. Or do they just wait until the following year to jump ship. I'm seeing a lot of activity from martins that are already committed elsewhere. I'm guessing they already have eggs and chic...

I posted yesterday about my SY activity, but that I hadn't seen them enter a gourd yet. That changed this morning. The SY peaked into several gourds before finally completely entering one. It stayed about a minute and came back out. I don't know if its a male or female. I have had 2 SY's circling to...

4'th year trying. After Memorial Day, I conceded defeat and gave up for the year. Actually, I gave up entirely. Then Tuesday May 26, about 4 to 5 martins started circling around my housing. 2 of them landed on gourds a few times and stayed a bit. They continued to return, land, and look. I believe t...

I couldn't have said it better myself. I've only one thing to add. English sparrows and European starlings along with rock pigeons are NOT protected by federal or state laws. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act excludes these 3 species specifically from protection. Even the government disapproves of these...

There is one problem with being too close to a house or building. Hawks can fly low, avoiding detection, then rise up and swoop over the roof at the last second just a few feet from the martin house. This gives the martins very little time to respond. Perched martins can't see the other side of your...

I just hung my great crested flycatcher house. They are already here, looking for scarce cavities with an entrance hole large enough for them. This will be my third year hosting the GCF. They really depend on me and I can't let them down. I'm going to replace the GCF house with a northern flicker ho...