Purple Martin Forum

I've had a lot of success attracting martins and tree swallows and bluebirds to several sites...however none to my own back yard as it's in town and has had too many trees. As the years passed by, many of the trees in my yard and the neighbor's were removed. Last year I was pleasantly surprised to s...

The tube is 3 inches long and the back of the gourd protudes an inch and 3/4 past the tube.

As I was doing nest checks in my gourd racks today, I noticed a female martin remained in a gourd (that happens often), with a federal band on her leg. I wrote down the band number and reported to the BBL. I immediately received and email from them stating the bird was banded near Lebanon Ohio in 20...

ONU martins with wind turbine in background.

Our 9 year old Ohio Northern University colony of 37 pairs has slowly grown over the years...even when ONU erected three 400KW wind turbines within 1/2 mile of the colony about 4 years ago. We've had 100% occupancy the last 3 seasons (2 deluxe 18's and one gourd on a shepherd's hook that the martins...

Troyers horizontals now come with a nice black rubber traction strip that goes all the way down from the opening to the floor. (in their early years they were slippery) I do still take my leatherman and scratch up the bottom of the gourd for better traction. Once they get muddy and dirty from the bi...

Of course the most important factor is location. From your photo it appears that your site is open enough. You just can't attract martins to a wooded site. If you site is too tree encroached, you should get permission to put up your martin rig at a park or a school or golf course or some wide open a...

Sail&Power, I’m surprised all the “experienced landlords” seem to be afraid to state the obvious to you. I’m really a nice person but sometimes you just have to tell it like it is. I think your site has about a 95% chance of not attracting martins now as it is, but I’ll tell you how to turn that...

Sue, I've done the same thing at 2 sites. Just lower the rack and the TSs continue to use their gourd. Then hang it on a hook and slowly raise the rack a couple feet or so at a time. Once the rack was all the way back up I moved the shepherd's hook maybe 5 feet or so at a time (giving the tree swall...

I've had a pair of tree swallows nest successfully in a gourd on a deluxe 12 rack a couple years ago. I had about 7 pairs of martins on the same rack. I was surprised, but it worked out just fine.

ajh

My Ohio Northern University colony of 11 pairs with 54 young last week lost 27 nestlings at todays nest check (I was away on vacation all of last week). 4 gourds had all the nestlings perish. My question is this: Will those 4 pair totally abandon this site next year? Should I have moved a live nestl...

Up here in northwest Ohio, D-day (June 6th) always seems to be a busy day for subbies showing up at new colonies. The first week in June is usually very productive but then the second week brings an abrupt end to SY migration here.

Keep the faith, it will happen.

Arnie Hoersten Delphos OH