Purple Martin Forum

Not to be negative but if I was a bird I'd see one fly way in and one out and so would hawks perched in wait. I think if you really wanna be a landlord you're odds will increase if you remove some old half dead trees. Which I say because you dont wanna remove any really young tress. You have alot o...

Can you show what it looks like if satellite is old? laso plan to have hawk guards on everything. that photo was the latest I could find. I'll try and photoshop up what it looks like without the neighbors' trees. [edit] adding current aerial + line of sight pics. All are from where I propose to put...

in researching how to minimize sparrows taking over a nest, I came across 'magic halo' http://www.sialis.org/halo.htm and other sparrow guards. Has anyone tried this approach? I was already thinking of putting up small mirror balls around the colony to possibly deter hawks and if it also affects spa...

Sure. I use about 1/4 teaspoon of 5% Sevin dust in the bedding before installing the gourds and than again when the fledglings have enough feathers so you can not see pink skin. Anywhere in the nest cavity is fine, it works that well. Good Luck hope you have a good Martin season! James so, I was in...

I don't have any experience with individual guards, but I can say the cage I built around my 12 room Goliad was only marginally effective. My observations were that the martins were still exposed and taken during dusk attacks because they preferred to perch on the cage rather than the porches there...

Last year when I was getting hammered by hawks, I researched reflective objects and came across an article about using the mirror balls. It stated they work for a day or so but would need to be moved almost daily. Even with that, the hawks eventually figured out the ball wasn't a threat and resumed...

Yeah I thought the fishing line was my primary defense but think it just became a fun thing for the Coopers to show his/her flying skills.... Tins are reflective but not like mirrors, I'll admit. One would think multiple facets balls with mirrors (disco ball?) would confuse a predator but I really ...

I don't think it would work based on my experience. several years ago I had some chickens in a pen and put up about 60 criss crossed fishing lines with approx.. 20+ or so tins (aluminum plates)....looked like a carnival with the wind blowing. One afternoon I witnessed a coopers fly in through the f...

Deancamp's suggestion is correct imo. It will be close to your pool and give you the best chance of attracting Martins, observing what's happening, and enjoying the process in clear view of an area that the family enjoys spending time. Good luck...Hopefully you'll have many visitors this year check...

Someone on FB suggested a mirrorball for hawk deterrence; anyone here using one? If so, how effective and where have you placed it; below or above the colony? Multiple balls = better or redundant? Size of ball? I like the idea overall, though, just need some insight to usage. [edit] searching, I fou...

That is most definitely the best location you have available. The trees gone from your neighbors yard to the SW opens it up more. I would trim the lialac bushes to about 2 feet...can't kill a bush, it'll keep coming back. It's a tough layout but I believe you're putting in the best location you can...

It will be tough with all those trees. I have seen several martin houses in my area that are close to tall trees but the colonies were there first and over the years the trees have grown around them. One place I took some pictures of years ago had branches touching the top of the house. the pic sho...

Would you be against putting it NW of where you have marked, slightly forward of your house and in front of your pond house? Seems to be a more overall open area with better flyways from each direction. Playing the dawn song is the number one attractant after getting your house set in the best spot...

Small hawk is probably a Merlin, a member of the Falcon family.very fast and deadly. Usually male Martins are too big for them to kill or carry off. I agree with flyin Low about the mites and ventilation, I very seldom have any jumpers. Care to share you tips re mites? I think I have the solution f...

I would focus more on some ventilation. Assuming food is not an issue, the normal causes of jumpers are heat and mites. Keep those under control and your jumpers shouldn't be much of an issue, especially as far north as you are. The last few years I have had several hundred babies at my colony and ...

Mark, it might be best to see if that becomes a problem before spending alot of energy solving it. The jumper won' be hurt landing on the ground. If you've been doing nest checks you will have good idea where he came from. Catch him and put him back in the nest. Being in Michigan you will not have ...

Last year we set up a gourd next to the big gourd rack. We did not know which gourd he leaped from. We placed the Jumper in the lower gourd and watched the other adult martins fly and visit the young Jumper. We would go out and feed him every hour or two and few meal worms or crickets. At night we ...

Brokensword how do you deter hawks? I am having a problem with a small hawk that has already taken 2 birds. Eventually the hawks move on or at least there are less as the season develops. We had a couple of cold nights and it struck early in the morning when the martins were just coming out and sit...

I will comment on the one topic of your question I have any experience with. I would place the decoy at your housing to attract Martins to your new housing. After you have attracted Martins, their activity and singing will draw attention way more than a decoy. If the decoy is near the housing and y...

so, listening to a PM podcast, the issue of jumpers came up. I'm trying to deter hawk attacks on porches/from above, so now I wonder re is there an idea for any fledglings that jump too early? My first thought is to put some sort of platform below but near the gourd AND behind the cage. Jumpers woul...