Purple Martin Forum

3 of my 5 Martin eggs (of my only pair, unfortunately) went missing, I am guessing it was a snake... but seems odd it left 2. The ones that were left, the martins covered with leaves- and then shortly thereafter (as both were SY) they abandoned the nest and then left my site completely. Since that w...

Seven and other commercial insecticides could be too strong and burn your birds (different people have different rates of success). I personally prefer using "poultry dust" as it offers a safer alternative, can be applied directly on animals and it is designed specifically for mites. There...

Details on humane dispatch of invasive species should absolutely be allowed on FB and the forums. Any true conservationist understands that invasive species are not native and thus compete with native species for resources and space- of which usually the native species is the loser. Therefore, those...

A downed baby martin is usually a goner without help. If it is healthy, you should put it back in the nest (if you know where it came from). If not at least get it back to the gourds. If you have a cat within a mile they will find it. That said, like others mentioned, usually they are jumping early ...

I converted my existing round entrance gourds to Troyer Connelly 2 entrances with tunnel and porch (attaches to the old gourds). As part of that, in the instructions you have to open up the old round hole substantially with a jigsaw so they don't get stuck in the tunnel. I did that when I installed ...

... MJM ... Sounds like you are on your way to a new colony.. If they are spending the night, then your in.. Hopefully they will nest this year.. My first pair arrived on June 13th, so plenty of time this year for them to settle down.. Good Luck and keep us up to date on their progress.. :grin: :gr...

Unfortunately, "snake netting", "bird netting" whatever it is sold as and used for- is a very cruel punishment and guaranteed death for native snakes, especially ones we need like Black Rat, King, etc. that keep populations of rodents and other varmints at bay. Shooting an invasi...

After moving and setting up a pretty ideal Martin spot, I'm getting a lot of visitors but no stayers over the past month. This last week or so, I have an ASYM and 2SYF that come daily, go in and out of all the gourds (6), the M sometimes fights off other SYMs- and then they leave at night. The M and...

FYI - I just bought a Songbird Magnet instead. I'll let you know if it works!!

Im in east central Indiana and last year was my earliest arrivan ever, March 11th....I put one of my T14's up this past weekend, more to use for some early trapping. not too long ago I never saw an arrival before April. The last several years it gets earliera and earlier. Seems like they ride in on...

Hi guys, I have a wireless speaker set up on my back porch near my new martin housing and I want to put it on an early timer, etc. to automate playing the song. I've found a lot of videos posted that play for hours that say they are the "dawn song" but actually they sound to me more like d...

Wow, hopefully that recent bitter cold didn't get him. I am in SW Indiana too (EVV) and I guess I better get my houses out!

Thanks everyone. I will continue to hope my luck changes then. Again, I may have had 50 birds before but I really didn't know how this all works with SYs etc. They all just kind of showed up. I'll keep on it.

Thank you- I will keep everything out as it is and hope a sub-adult comes by. My setup is all good- it's really just getting exposure to the Martins. I saw one fly over yesterday but he was a full black male and wayyyyy up in the air- but unmistakable wings and soaring. I do have a fair amount of tr...

I got lucky just putting houses out where I lived in KY and getting ~10 birds that same year and up to about 50 in 2 years after. I moved to Indiana for work and am now in an area with some birds (not a ton) and have gourds out, decoys up, martin song going all morning up to noon. Just not seeing an...

Thank you again guys- this is super helpful. I bought 3 decoys and will be pumping the dawn song as the season starts! I don't plan to leave the decoys up if I happen to land some martins. We will see. You guys are all awesome, thank you! Fingers crossed they find me again!

Thank you, sounds like both are worth trying since it is a brand new colony! Appreciate it.

Shameless bump- I figured I would hear from FlyinLowe or CC!!

Hi again guys- short recap: I've had martins for 3-4 years but they just "showed up" at my last place- I moved, and want to start a colony but I never had to "attract" them before. I bought a 6-house troyer gourd setup, two questions: 1) Should I put out decoys? If so, how many- ...

I don't have my catalogue in front of me but on Troyers website they show the tunnel/porch but it is $13.99. Either way, if it were me I would either convert them or replace them. You could try them and see how long it takes the starlings to move in, but the issue is when you get martins to move in...