Purple Martin Forum

Don't get to excited yet! But anytime a Martin comes to visit it's a great sign. If they start investigating your housing and spending the night you are in business! This time in the cycle they are most likely looking for a nesting site!

Years ago I was in Florida in the Pensacola area and at a bait shop they had a pole attached to the side of a building with about 24 gourds and everyone had nesting Martins! Had to be 25 ft in the air. Also I have been to Griggsville, Illinois and in the middle of town they have a tower with about 2...

Just a thought! If the other chicks die remove them immediately. I would keep a close eye on it. Martin's will absolutely re-lay eggs. Often if several chicks die they will quit feeding. Now that you have removed the dead chicks they should resume feeding. Good Luck!

Ii think a major future problem is the young people coming up are not gonna kill anything so another can survive. So when us old folks are gone this type of landlording will die with us. Hawks feed on Starlings and we kill the starlings. So what will they eat next - Martins The new excluder entrance...

I believe you said you had snake netting above your PVC pipe so I seriously doubt this was a snake issue!

I have had an ASY male and 2 sub males hanging around of and on for 3 weeks. Going in gourds and displaying by flying high in a cirle and then folding their wings tight against their body and streak down to the gourds. I dont believe they have had any luck getting females. They leave for days at a t...

Update. After looking closer I have 1 asy Male and 1 sy Male hanging out at different times during the day. They leave for longer periods of time now but keep coming back each day! Still I have not seen them sleep overnight.

UPDATE : Well he came back again this afternoon only he has a sy female with him this time. It's amazing after all this time he finally found a mate. He is putting on quite a show out there right now so I will update if they stay!! This has made my season no matter what!!

Yes I play the dawn song everyday from 4 to 7 and sometimes all day now. I realize they sing this in the early hours before dawn but I thought it was usually above their own colony! He would have to travel along ways. I really believe it's the same bird but I could be wrong. Just seems odd because d...

I am in my 2nd year at a new location of course trying to attract Martin's. I live in central N.C. . Last year no SY Martin's at all that I saw visited. A lone ASY Male visited a couple times but only stayed for a few minutes. This year a lone Adult Male has visited about every 2 to 3 weeks since Ma...

Has anybody tried these products and what was the result?

No, and I dont know any other way to put it; but
especially in large colonies during the nest building phase multiple males will often gang rape a female who has landed on the ground.

I can assure you based on your picture that trees are not your problem.

One thing I know for sure. SY Martin's are very lazy. Just wondered if you have prenested some of your compartments. As much as you read about clean compartments the SY Martin's like a dirty cavity. Meaning a little pine straw and a few small dead leaves and some mud inside the compartments. You can...

The main reason that gourds are far superior is the fact that nesting areas are spaced farther apart and this reduces fighting and defending of multiple nest. Also it's a heckuva lot of fun growing and fixing up your gourds. If you hang gourds from a tree or porch you can attract all kinds of birds ...

Since I see cats in a somewhat similar light as starlings and house sparrows you really don't want my suggestion.

Just pulling your leg. I got a sore neck looking outside just in Hope's of someday seeing a Martin at my set-up. Wish I was in your shoes!

O' for goodness sakes quit bragging!!

Smart thing to do is hang 4 or so gourds from the bottom of the house. Keep both and let them choose.

Yes I would be interested in that. Please give me the directions. Thanks.