Purple Martin Forum

I have one male martin roosting in my Super Gourd. I went on a short vacation Thursday January 31 and returned this evening. At about 5:40 PM I walked out the back door and looked around hoping to see or hear a martin. After a short time I walked somewhat near my gourds and yelled for my dog. One ad...

I have had barn swallows the past 8 years. All I did was place a cardboard box ( 7" x 10" ) with straw in it on the top of a speaker located underneath my patio. They immediately went to it and they raise two hatchlings each year. I read they mate for life and return to the same nest each ...

I have the Deluxe 12 Gourd Rack with the 2 ft. extension making it 16 ft tall. I want to add the 12 gourd add-on, 24 gourds total, but was told I needed to only add 6 gourds, 18 gourds total, because the 24 gourds have been causing the pole to break in windy conditions. I have the 2" square pol...

Wednesday evening I had about 24 to 26 to roost. I will be surprised if I have 36 to roost tomorrow. I could not determine how many were males or females because the weather was so bad and there was not much light. It was pouring rain and their feathers were fluffed out. They were coming in in bunch...

It was a stormy evening and the temperature was dropping fast making it feel colder than it was here in south Louisiana. I got home at about 4:45 P.M. and noticed the gourds and Heath bird house completely full with martins on the perches and rods of the gourds. The winds had all rocking. The martin...

I was talking about using the cloth just for a few weeks until it warms up here in south Louisiana. Last year it snowed and the temperature dropped and I lost an ASY male.

Has anyone tried using cloth for nesting material during the cold months? Thanks

Yes we had some snow Friday morning. One martin came out of the gourd and flew around for a few seconds while the snow was coming down hard. He seemed to be energetic and wanted to see what it was. I noticed one adult male was dead on the ground the same day. I don't know how long he had been there....

My oldest brother really had a good site. He built his house on open land and easily got martins in all his houses. He planted, I am guessing, about a dozen pecan trees, some within a few feet of the houses. When the trees became full grown they covered the martin houses but the martins still return...

February 11 my wife called at about 4 PM and stated, guess what we have. I was working and was kind of busy so I asked what. She said we have a martin on the martin house. She said she was driving into the drive-way and noticed one martin was on the perch of the heath house. She then said he just fl...

I would like to say thank you to everybody. I will give it a try.

I read where someone stated they used Sevin to help control mites. What is Sevin, where can I find some, and how is it used.

Thank You

I had a terrible 2008 year. Owls and hawks attacked my site and the martins abandoned it. Don't know if any fledged. I thinks a few did. I only found one dead baby in the houses when I took them down for the winter. I have three or four roosting at night. Right now there are several on the houses ev...

Thanks guys for the reply. Sorry it took so long to check-back. She is still doing fine and feeding her young. One of the babies flew off, but flew back and landed on the perch in front of it's compartment. She is still feeding it. They will probably all fledge tomorrow.

Thanks again,

Stan

I have approximately 33 pairs and I try to keep a close watch. A few days ago I noticed one female does not have any tail feathers. I know this occurred suddenly because her compartment faces the patio. I am curious if anyone knows of a disease that would cause this. My guess is she probably barely ...

I am thinking about adding a supergourd rack system to my colony. I have two 24 unit Heath houses in my back yard near a 2.5 acre pond. I had approximately 34 pairs last year. I want to add to my colony and I am thinking about putting up a supergourd rack system near the side of my house at the end ...

Dale and Emil I agree that #'s 2 & 4 are probably the main reason. When my neighbor cleared the small wooded area it made my land look completely different even though it was a very small area, about half the size of a tennis court. My point is just a few bushes or small trees cut down will open...

Last year I had major problems with hawks. About every 20 minutes one would lite on the martin house and grab a baby martin and fly off. I took my vacation and was able to watch for the hawks and they eventually stopped, at least while I was home. What occurred while I was away is anybody's guess. T...