Purple Martin Forum

In my observations, the fledglings indeed know which gourd they fledged from, at least the first few nights of returning. As they gain independence over a few days, they may choose other cavities. As for fighting amongst themselves, probably fledglings that have been out for a few days as well; may ...

Took me awhile, but if you go to the posted link to Wilson's work, and on the link to page 34, reads: Individuals (purple martins) have been noted to return to the same box for several successive years. Even the solitary Indian seems to have a particular respect for this bird. The Chactaws and Chick...

I'll be giving an informal field talk at the colony at Cahokia Mounds Historic Site, Collinsville, Il. (St. Louis metro area) Sat June 8. Have ordered a new purple shirt. Come if you can. https://cahokiamounds.org/purplemartins/

delete -

I'm not finding the specific reference right now, but Alexander Wilson, sometimes called the "father of American ornithology" references seeing native Americans hosting purple martins -- think he said Choctaw -- during his travels through the south -- probably Alabama area -- in the late 1...

Andy,

Hang in there. Starlings may find the new house if you switch to round holes because they will like the deep compartments. Starlings most of the time don't nest in 6 x 6 units. ...make sure your new entrances are to spec -- 1 3/16 high. Thank you for working to improve the public housing.

It has been tried -- or at least some variation -- think was in PA many decades ago. I vaguely recall reading about it. Maybe it was adults they captured in cavities at night and moved them to relocated housing and released next morning. As expected, did not work.

It has been tried -- or at least some variation -- think was in PA many decades ago. I vaguely recall reading about it. Maybe it was adults they captured in cavities at night and moved them to relocated housing and released next morning. As expected, did not work.

I referenced Emil recently and was told he died a few years back. This is his 2022 obituary that I found. I learned a lot from him many years ago -- when I'm not sure who posted more here - he or I . He also was featured once in the PMCA PM Update Magazine. https://www.schmidtfuneralhome.net/obituar...

I'm skeptical of the audio recordings. Better to have a martin flying overhead and spotting the housing and coming in for a look, I suspect, than coming for the audio and then leaving. This is not the conventional wisdom these days, but tis' mine. As Emil Pampell, a landlord in Texas who used to pos...

Photo is a rack at Riverlands Audubon Center, West, Alton, Mo., in the northern edge of St. Louis, Mo metro area. Far in the distance, the wide Missouri River and bridge to Alton IL. Took five years to get martins established here, rack fully occupied. And we're adding a second rack -- a friend and ...

I have seen male house sparrows use their vise like beaks to pluck a patch of feathers to raw skin from adult purple martins, in response to me removing house sparrow nests with young. But martins don't have beaks adequate to cause this type of injury to one another.

Egg shells galore. Some years I drop off a five-gallon bucket at a local restaurant, Chris' Pancake Dining, in south St. Louis, MO to collect eggshells for martins. Here in photo just rinsed and drying. I will sanitize them with oven heat later.

Brent I don't have a photo of my cuts, but can get one on a less cold day. Martins are holed up today in Missouri, but tomorrow will be sunny and 50s. Meanwhile this is a link to the PMCA download of how to modify a "Trio" house (similar) by cutting round holes (or can be square) in interi...

Martins love those houses, but there is another entrapment risk as well. The interior wall hole is two inches, and you would think would be fine, but sometimes a bird will get wing entrapped there, and can't been seen. Why a two inch round hole inside would be a risk is odd; may be that just being o...

double

I don't know, but I've heard a very lively Cajun song about a possum.

Well, I'm no fun, but I don't think you can attract martins to the site. Martins seem to be less apt to colonize housing adjacent to a solid line of trees, or edge of a forest, even if it's back pretty far. In your case, looks like there is forest on three sides at least. And we know martins are sca...

Many years ago here one landlord was studying this -- wish I could find his posts -- and found that the PVC elbow vents work best when there is a slight breeze -- have very little effect on temps on hot days with no breeze. I've changed out most of my gourd PVC vents to large 1 inch (outer diameter ...

Assembly of the pole system looks great. I'm not sure why you are concerned about the top cover. Are you worried it might scare martins? It would not. My only concern would be whether the wood will hold up in weather. And if t'were me, I'd attach a perch to it. Good luck to you.