Purple Martin Forum

Thanks so much for the replies! I will keep playing the CD and crossing my fingers. I feel much more optimistic now.
Thanks!

Thanks BW I'm encouraged by your response! None of my neighbors have any Martin housing. About 3 miles away, a house has a couple aluminum houses which have a few birds. I figured I'd try both gourds and the barn just to give a little variety since I'm not sure what they prefer around here. Patience...

Hello all, This is my first year to try to attract martins. I live in central Louisiana. I've had a few martins stop and look over the past couple months, but none have stayed.. and now haven't seen a Martin in 2-3weeks. So my setup... I have a Delux gourd rack with 8 troyer horizontals, and a s&...

Thanks a bunch Steve! Great info here. And yes.... It gets very hot here in Louisiana!

Thanks Jerry, I appreciate the advice. Good luck to you this season also!

I'm new to purple martins, and this will be my first year trying to establish a colony. I recently purchased a Delux gourd rack with 8 Troyer Horizontals. I've read on previous posts that ventilation is important with these gourds. I read about a couple methods... drilling holes in the upper back po...

Louisiana has traditionally had an abundant purple martin population. Martins are common in our area below Shreveport. We live closer to the small community of Longstreet but Logansport is the mailing address. So if your location is open and you keep other birds such as house sparrows and starlings...

Wow that is awesome! Send some of those martins to central LA... just starting up my site and hoping to get some to nest this year.

I have the S&K Barn from Tractor Supply and was successful with two nesting pairs last year. I closed the top compartments and expanded the units to 6. I also have the 6 gourds from Tractor Supply hanging under them on the pole I bought I tractor supply. Budget was my concern as well. We don't ...

Everyone is being polite, but I personally don't like those houses. Have you converted them into 6" x 12" compartments? Unless they have recently been producing them as 6" x 12", I would go with 4 gourds, and I bet you would have better luck attracting. That house in my opinion ...

Glynn B - LA wrote:The gourd rack that tractor supply sells would hold two to four of the lighter nine inch gourds. You can find the gourds on the tractor supply site. To enhance the nine inch gourds, you could purchase S&K tunnels to make them even safer for the martins. Good luck!

Glynn

Thanks Glynn!

I have not evaluated this gourd holder other than in photos, but I would have concerns that super gourds would be too heavy. Excluders are even heavier. Suggest a lighter gourd, either the 9 inch S&K or a couple of natural gourds, and maybe only a couple of gourds. You don't want to over weight...

Just a question for the experts...I'm hoping to attract some martins this spring. I currently have a s&k martin barn (red) on a telescoping 15' triangular pole .... I would like to add a few gourds under the barn. On the tractor supply website, I see a gourd rack that would fit onto my triangula...

Welcome to the forum! I am not too far away from you (Ville Platte). you shouldn't have any trouble attracting martins since they are so plentiful in Louisiana, however, since it is a new setup, you may not get any until sub-adults start coming in later, probably around April. Just be patient, and ...

Awesome. Haven't seen many at all in central Louisiana this week. Hopefully some will be stopping by soon.

Hey, I'm in Denham Springs, LA and have been a landlord for almost 15 years. Good luck with your site this year. I have the barn house, closed the very top entrances on the side and modified to expand the compartments thus offering 6 cavities. I added 6 gourds underneath in the hopes I'll get a few...

Welcome! I am new to the forum also... and you're right, tons of great info on here. Good luck on starting your colony!

Bird Brain wrote:Sounds like an S&K Barn. Those 4 attic entrances in your barn should be closed off. It is difficult to access them for nest checks. You don't want your birds nesting in an area with no access for nest checks. Good luck.

Great idea, thanks I plan to close those off.

Annabellam wrote:Welcome to the forum. I am also pretty new and still learning to navigate, so i thought i might start with a welcome

Thanks for the welcome!

Hello all, I'm new to the site. I've really enjoyed reading different posts on this forum and I've learned a good bit about purple martins so thank you all for the info! :) I live in central Louisiana, and I'm hoping to start a purple martin colony at my house this spring. None of my neighbors have ...