Purple Martin Forum

I've had two successful coopers hawk attacks this season, a pair of starlings that breached my starling resistant entrance gourds, (I finally got rid of the pair) and last but not least..several crow attacks! I've walked out twice to a crow hanging onto the porch/predator guards on my supergourds, m...

Thomas Maddox wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 08, 2025 11:03 am

Crazy. Do the Starlings actually attack the PMs?

Yes they do.
I've seen it a couple of times.
The starlings need to go.

Good posts. Thanks for sharing. I'm in Plantation, Florida. Mine is a small colony of 18 super gourds. I don't keep detailed records as some here, though it would probably be a good idea. My birds first arrived on 1/18 this year and I've had fewer birds return than last year...about 12 pairs. My las...

Brent,
Thanks for your reply. Good point about the horn. Both attacks have caught my and martins and I by surprise so the decoys may be a good option too.
Again, thanks for the help.

Hello all, I've been a landlord since 2005. I have 18 supergourds on two racks. In my years as a landlord I'd witnessed a hawk taking a young martin off the porch of a house that I had when I first started. Went to gourds after that. In the last three days I've witnessed two successful hawk attacks,...

Hello all,
I have an 18 gourd colony and need to replace some caps.
I'm looking for some feedback on the vented gourd caps.
I would appreciate your experience with them.

Congrats!
Still waiting for mine.
1/17 first arrivals last year.

Congrats!
Still waiting for mine.
Got my first arrivals on 1/17 last year.

Congrats to all!
I had my first arrivals yesterday and
am looking forward to a good season.

Best wishes everyone!

Missed the site.
Glad you're back!

Jones4381 wrote: ↑

Mon May 22, 2023 11:22 am

Those were some devastating storms you folks had down there in S FL., great seeing this story turn into a positive one for you and the survivors! Life anew there.

Thanks Jones4381.
Most of the credit belongs to the martins though.

Muffen02 wrote: ↑

Sat May 20, 2023 12:55 pm

I’m so excited. I looked in one of my nest today and yay!!! My first 3 little ones.

Congrats to you!
Good looking hatchlings!

Some of you might have read my post about the injured female martin I found in my back yard after a very nasty storm last month. At that time, I had lost 23 baby martins. As days went by there were a few more. A week later as I looked at my 6 gourd rack I saw something hanging out of the crescent sh...

CTMartins wrote: ↑

Tue May 09, 2023 8:48 am

Very attractive elevated 12 bedroom 0 bath located in quite cul de sac.

Very clever! Well done.

Congrats Thomabear!

Great season for you.

Hello, We are still very new. We bought a cheap house last year and had 10 eggs laid. Five eggs hatched but all the babies did survive. They kept jumping out so we'd pick them up and put them back but eventually, they jumped out at night and predators got them. The other 5 eggs were abandoned. This...

Doug,
I just read your story and thoroughly enjoyed it. Wonderful relationship.
I'd never heard of a Purple Martin living so long. That is wonderful.
Congrats on his return this year and here's to you having an awesome season.

Regards,

You could use diatomaceous earth. It is safe for you and the birds. I had read that the diatomaceous earth causes lung irritation to babies and parents when the birds flap their wings inside the compartment. The wing movement gets the earth to float around and get inhaled by the birds. Conrad, Good...

Hi Stingray.. I too use very small amount of sevin under the nest and it works great for mite control. I’m just not sure that putting it on the porches is necessary. As you know, the martins use their feet to scratch and preen themselves. If the sevin is on their feet, then it will get on their fea...

Ladybug wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 18, 2023 2:04 pm

Last nights count= 7.
This A.M. 12+. = 5 are Females.
Makes A HAPPY DAY.
Sunny, Bright. T=51*. Awesome.

Congrats on your colony's growth!