Purple Martin Forum

I have had houses with round and crescent entrances and starlings have entered both. I bought the Excluder doors and found the starlings could not enter. I bought 2 racks of Gourds with excluder entrances and gave my houses to a friend so he could start a New colony. Sparrows and starlings are flyin...

This is my 38th year having Martins and this is the earliest I have ever had Martins in my state of Delaware...9:30am 3/18/2022. Single adult male.

I thought about that myself but in my 34 years of having Martin's I've never seen this before , three days ago there were only 5 eggs in the nest you could be correct

I have seen as any as 6 eggs but never 10 eggs in 1 nest.

I push the pellet into the barrel with my thumb or I use a Pellet Pen Loader that holds about 15 pellets. I have not noticed any difference in accuracy in any way. Question about the PCP pellet rifle...when the rifle is loaded with pellets and pumped full of air, can the rifle stay fully charged ove...

Being a newbie to airgunning, I’ve received some great advice lately on selecting the best pellet to use in my RWS Diana Model 34 . 177 I am only using it to shoot sparrows at about 20 yards, so need to focus on accuracy, not firepower. My question is whether with this particular gun , is it better...

Wrens may also get caught into the glue traps. I once caught a Wren in a mouse trap baited with peanut butter when I left the garage door open.

This may help... TIPS ON USING A PELLET RIFLE TO CONTROL NON NATIVE BIRDS.... I posted this thread on the forum which may help you. I have a Crosman Fury and a Crosman Nitro Venom Dusk. Personally I have found the heavier (round nose) 10 or 10.5 grain pellets to be most accurate. I agree with both p...

I have been shooting pellet rifles for many years. I do not claim to be an expert but I will share what I have learned over the years through experience and reading pellet rifle manufacturing forums. All manufactures make decent rifles and I have no affiliation with any manufacturer nor do I promote...

Well I finally shot the Starling this morning. 37 yards with my pellet rifle. Now the sparrows

The Martins have started making their nest this week so it's time to put out the ground up oyster and egg shells.

Before the martins arrive spray the Permetherin inside the gourds especially where the drain holes are, this is where most of the moisture and many critters enter the gourds. Then I place cedar chips and/or pine needles in the gourds and spray again with the Permetherin. I also spray it in my shoes,...

mike2656 wrote:I use Sevin dust on all my bird housing, very small amounts.

It has never bothered any bluebirds, tree swallows or Martins and I have never lost a bird to insects.

I agree with mike on the Sevin dust.

Maybe trying Permetherin....http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PermGen.html#wildlife Can permethrin affect birds, fish, or other wildlife? Permethrin is highly toxic to fish and other animals that live in either salt water or fresh water. Permethrin is low in toxicity to birds, but some aerosol product...

I have not and I would not use it around the Martin houses. The Martins fight over housing and mating and they end up on the ground.

As I have read, the spray snake control is a liquid sulphur and I wouldn't want it on the Martins. No Chemicals..

Lewis, I did notice your May 4, 2013 post and picture of the modified conley II and smooth level floor, Thanks.

zag, is this also called the wing entrapment protector (wep) that is sold in the shop of this web site. Will it fit the Excluder II gourds and has anyone tried them? I realize it would have to mounted correctly, sometimes the martins have to squeeze into the Excluder II openings. I have not seen the...

I have 2 sets of Excluder gourds (12 gourds each), the older set has a cap size approx' 1/4 inch smaller in diameter than the newer 2 year old excluder gourds. The Excluder Gourd insert trap will fit inside the newer gourds but will NOT fit inside the older gourds where the starlings build the nests...

Happy Mother's Day! Last night the martins returned at almost dark and went straight into their gourds. This morning the lone starling was back making a nest in her favorite gourd. I assume it's a female, I shot the mate yesterday. This flying Rat is determined to build a nest in my #4 gourd which i...

It's 7:15 in the evening and the Martins have not returned while a couple of starlings go from one gourd to another. As of now my plan is to remove the porches on one rack of gourds tomorrow.

My neighbor is having the same problem with starlings but he is unable to lower his houses to look inside.

As I said above I have the excluder doors, the Excluder II and the starlings still enter, it's a struggle for them but they can enter.

Starlings always build nest on the far side of the gourd rack or house from one's view. Starlings can also mimic flight and actions of Martins.