male/female decision ?

[mgstei1]

Since my wife and I have a newly installed nest cam moving nest to nest we are trying to decide on an important question. We both have a well established colony with 48 super gourds and one T14.
We also are constantly trapping S&S's in several different traps and are constantly watching for the raptors which always manage to snare some of our colony birds.(by the way the accipitors are on the population increase in our urban area.) Its an amazing effort and totally heartbreaking when nature does her thing and the martins become meals.
We also love the hawks but wish so badly that the starlings/sparrows would taste so much better and more satisfying to eat.
Back to the question:
Does the male always attract the female to the nest/gourd,etc. or does the female attract the male to the nest she likes. The more we use the nest cam the harder the question is for both of us.

[Sandy - NC]

Try as he might, and think what he wishes, the female decides where she wants to nest. As well, the female is the key to getting a colony started. You can have the perfect spot, setup, etc, but until you find that magic female, you will have no colony.

[Steve Kroenke]

Like most songbirds, the male martin usually selects the territory and attempts to attract a female. The female martin selects the male and his territory and is in charge of the nest for the most part. She lays the eggs, incubates them and broods the small young. The male guards the female, the eggs and young. Female martins can be choosy and often review the fitness of various males and the suitability of their territory. She may reject a number of them before finally settling down with one male.

You may see SY males shunned, particularly at new sites, by females and these females go to larger established colonies to find a better selection of ASY males and territory. Since her genetic legacy is her young, she naturally wants the best male to father them! This often frustrates not only the SY males but the human landlord who is trying to attract martins!

Steve

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

I need one or two female martins with a lower set of standards.