Purple Martin Forum

Well, I had birds arrive in February; relentless attacks from hawks in March and early April. Apparently the season is all mixed up with some pairs losing mates, etc. Anyway, yesterday as I was watching the first fledglings learn to fly and return to their gourd, a new nest was being built in the go...

Thanks, Louise. At least now, the hawks are only catching martins in midair. I can't control that part of nature, so the survival of the fittest will have to prevail.

Some attacks have been in mid air, but most are at that very last moment when they come in for the night and mometarily have to adjust to get through the wire guard. Having the bigger hole should prevent that as soon as they learn to use THAT opening.... thus the white piece of aluminum to eventuall...

I did on most of them. Don't you know the one I took a picture of would be the one I missed....

After every effort in the book to slow down or prevent hawk attacks, I found that the wire guards around the racks cause the martins to pause just a moment at nightfall when they are trying to get in - just long enough to be grabbed by a smart raptor. So I copied what someone showed here last week, ...

Hawk predation in coastal SC is HIGH pressure. I am 80-120 feet from the nearest trees and old Hawkeye sits right up there and zooms in like lightning even from that far away....

I have posted several times, but here goes again. The hawks, some large and some small, are absolutely relentless this year. Last year my colony was basically cut by 1/3 of normal and this year I don't know if any will survive. This is mid March, where in SC, I usually have 2/3 of my birds here (whi...

As previously posted, I have been so devastated by hawks in the last couple of years, I have completely encircled my houses and gourd racks with 2 x 4 mesh wire. Martins can still get attacked on the perch rods up top, but WILL NOT get attacked while sitting on the porches. And they have adapted rea...

A daily scenario across the country now.....

Steve, what you describe is so accurate. I have 2 very tall pines about a 100 yards away, and that is where they will hide until dusk. On several occasions they have dived at a high rate of speed right over my head to attempt to grab a martin going in for the night. The wire mesh I have put around t...

Thanks for all the discussion. I hope it continues. Here is a picture of how I wrapped the houses. I also wrapped all the gourd racks. The wire is at least a foot from any porch. Please continue this discussion and would someone please post the source of the dove decoys? Also, has anyone ever tried ...

Well, I have conquered the starlings and sparrows, but before my martins have arrived in SC, the hawks are already attacking my decoys. Just wanted to start a thread to see what folks are planning to do about hawks this year. We now have year round hawks of all sizes, as witnessed at the bird feeder...

I use a lightweight 2x4 mesh with the 4 inches laying horizontal. The birds had no problem getting through them last year.

Thanks for all the advice. I think I am doing the best I can with the wire cages. And you are right, Steve, I have been standing 30 feet or so in front of my colony at dusk, when a hawk would come very fast from a tree 100 feet away and dive right over my head and grab a martin from a porch. That's ...

I remember when you posted that picture. Would it be too much trouble for you to post it again or should I search the threads?

Thanks for the discussion. The porch protection with wire on the ghost is a clever idea. Can't picture that on a gourd rack unless there was just a tube of wire on the way in to the porch. I guess still the ideal remedy, though, would be a wire wrap for each gourd or house rack. I have those from la...

I probably lost 25% of my colony last year to small hawks. Mid season, some of you may remember, I wrapped all my gourd racks and house racks with 2 x 4 mesh wire and stopped the bleeding mostly. I had another thought..... Most hawk attacks caught martins sitting on porches. Of course the wire stopp...

Just this morning, I was on the porch and heard what I thought was a martin, and it was a mockingbird - actually sitting on the crossbar of a gourd rack - singing away not far from a martin decoy!!!

Here is a previous post of mine with cages... just copy this URL into your address bar.

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... highlight=

Folks, I feel your pain, but for a different reason. I started off with more active nests than ever. And I have supplied the hawk population this year with more adult and fledgling birds than I thought possible - even with wire mesh guards around all houses and gourds. As many of you have addressed ...