Purple Martin Forum

Yes, I "dispatch" all of the sparrows I catch. They are aggressive non-natives and displace and/or kill countless native songbirds. There is no place for them in our environment. Patrick Could also be said of the invading humans who "discovered america". Aggressive, non-natives ...

And I do mean hay, not straw. I don't have any pine straw right now and I live in Memphis, TN and think it will be soon when the martins show up. Thanks in advance for your answers. - Jolene

Thank you for a wonderful site - and sight. Ours have all gone off now - we still have some 'visitors' and fly-overs. Lonesome without them.

I live in a densely populated subdivision, even with a neighbor that wants to complain about me shooting. I have a bunch of air rifles. When I want to be quiet I use a Crosman 1077 Air Source repeating rifle. That is one of the quietest air rifles I've ever used. I should have asked out here before...

By the way, did you have a hard time sighting in your Crossman. My son has the same gun and we did not use the scope. Hard to hit much. Did you use the scope? I'm usually a pretty good shot, bu not with this gun. I haven't shot the gun but twice this morning and it was too loud to keep at it. I tho...

Well, I am surprised that a silencer is illegal on an air rifle. I don't want to break the law - just want to keep from startling my neighbors into thinking they need to break out THEIR ammo. Don't want to trap the starlings - just want to kill them outright as they sit perched on the gourd racks. U...

I have a new Crosman .177 caliber spring air rifle. Easy to use but LOUD. Does anyone know if there is a silencer for this rife? I live in the 'hood and don't want any neighbors shooting back at me. :shock: I have a pair of persistent starlings that aren't in the martin housing but want to 'defend' ...

Pull out the billfold or your rathole if you have one and call a tree removal/transplant facility and bring one in as a surprize,,,,I'd say we are talking about a $1000 plus for this rather than a diamond,might as well have them plant a couple new PM poles too while they are at it. dick That's the ...

After watching the martins out the backdoor for the past few days, it is evident the commotion is all about either the fledging of the martins or the 'visitors' from around the area that are showing off their own newly acquired flying skills. I watched one of the martins that fledged yesterday and i...

We have two gourd racks and two martin houses. The last few days, the martins have been having a field day - flying and 'hollering' and making all kind of noises the reason for which I don't understand. Is this the kind of behavior that accompanies fledging? It's not a panic kind of behavior - it's ...

Busy, noisey day here also. My favorite time of the year - martins everywere. We're full up here with the arrival of the SY. Timing of the weather is perfect. Very happy.

Jolene / jasmemphis / Memphis, TN

For Steve Kroenke: Thank you for giving me a positive outlook to hang on to about the martins having been out feeding and coming in at dusky-dark. You were right. The martins look fine, sound fine and are out and about. They are coming in for the night now and are as fiesty and vocal and social as e...

Haven't seen but one pair of the 12 pair we had before the return of winter. Checked the houses and gourds - no dead martins. It's 6:30 pm so maybe they'll come in but it sure is worrisome. Been a hawk patrolling the sky in the neighborhood since the cold spell. That is also worrisome. Not martin on...

Hello. Can you tell me if there is an "official" stance PMCA has about using a mister for the summer heat? Or if PMCA has some other recommendation about how to cool the birds in the heat of the summer in the south? I was shocked to see how wet the inside of the housing can get even with a...

I might be using the wrong term - I'm wondering if there is anyplace in Tennessee where the martins gather before taking off again for South America. 'Roost' is the only word that will come out of my brain at the moment. Our birds are probably getting ready to go - we still have a few unfledged left...

Hello. We have had martins for over 12 years - and a wonderful red maple for that long as well. Except for this year - we took it down to make the flight path better for the martins between our backyard and my son's backyard. We have four martin racks between us and the maple tree was definitely not...