Hi,
I am brand new to being a purple martin landlord. I have always been interested in purple martins. My wife bought me a coates 12 apt house for Christmas, which I modified to a six two-room suite house. I also have two super gourds hanging underneath.
I have had my house open for about six weeks now, with no takers, other than sparrows. I have been pulling my house down daily to do nest tearouts. About three weeks ago, I had one pair of martins which hung around a couple of days, but then disappeared.
About a week ago, I put up four decoys and began playing dawnsong every day. About two days after putting up decoys and playing dawnsong, I have two ASY males and one female who have been hanging around nearly all day for the last three days. I hope they decide to stay. It looks as though they are interested in the two super gourds underneath the house.
I am still having trouble with a pair of Hosp, and doing daily nest tearouts. I have just purchased a repeating trap to try and alleviate the Hosp problem. My question is, once I have martins staying at the site, do I continue doing Hosp nest tearouts?
Newbie
Greetings Neil!
Coates Martin houses are good setups. It should serve you well for a long time.
One thing you should add though, are elevated subfloors. Houses like Coates and Nature House (Trio), that are designed using flip up doors, and one piece porch/floor setup, have a tendency to allow water to run from the porch, underneath the door, and into the nesting area. This can lead to wet nests, which is bad.
Coates makes elevated subfloor for their houses (their WatersEdge models come with them). They are even available from the PMCA store here:
Click here for Coates subfloors at PMCA store
As for the sparrows, the best solution would be for you to trap, or shoot. However, if you are unable to shoot, and you have a hard time trapping them, there is one idea that seems to have decent results. It involves letting the sparrows lay eggs, and as soon as they do, remove the nest, break the eggs, and leave the broken eggs on the floor in the compartment.
This is only a suggestion, but there are some folks that have reported decent results from doing this. It apparently may send a message to the sparrow that there is a new "bird sheriff" in town, and they're not welcome there.
One thing you have to be careful of, when doing nest tearouts (especially after the Martins have started nesting), is what's known as the "House Sparrow Revenge Syndrome" theory.
Here is an article by Steve Kroenke, that goes into more detail:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forumarchiv ... evenge.htm
This is a great group of folks here, with a LOT of combined experience. Hopefully some others will enter in, with great ideas, and info, as well.
Keep us posted!
Coates Martin houses are good setups. It should serve you well for a long time.
One thing you should add though, are elevated subfloors. Houses like Coates and Nature House (Trio), that are designed using flip up doors, and one piece porch/floor setup, have a tendency to allow water to run from the porch, underneath the door, and into the nesting area. This can lead to wet nests, which is bad.
Coates makes elevated subfloor for their houses (their WatersEdge models come with them). They are even available from the PMCA store here:
Click here for Coates subfloors at PMCA store
As for the sparrows, the best solution would be for you to trap, or shoot. However, if you are unable to shoot, and you have a hard time trapping them, there is one idea that seems to have decent results. It involves letting the sparrows lay eggs, and as soon as they do, remove the nest, break the eggs, and leave the broken eggs on the floor in the compartment.
This is only a suggestion, but there are some folks that have reported decent results from doing this. It apparently may send a message to the sparrow that there is a new "bird sheriff" in town, and they're not welcome there.
One thing you have to be careful of, when doing nest tearouts (especially after the Martins have started nesting), is what's known as the "House Sparrow Revenge Syndrome" theory.
Here is an article by Steve Kroenke, that goes into more detail:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forumarchiv ... evenge.htm
This is a great group of folks here, with a LOT of combined experience. Hopefully some others will enter in, with great ideas, and info, as well.
Keep us posted!
Last edited by Matt F. on Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
Hi Neil, Welcome to the forum! If you can't capture and kill the house sparrows, then you absolutely should continue the nest tear outs. If you allow them to nest, they will eventually run your martins off.
I am unfamiliar with your house, so hopefully some landlords that are aware of good traps for your house will chime in here. Some landlords get the 'spare-o-door' or other type traps that work especially well when a pair of sparrows have 'bonded' with a particular cavity.
Either way, you're taking the right approach with trying to rid yourself of the house sparrows. Once you catch them, there are numerous ways to dispose of them. Just ask if you need help with that. Don't bother trying to relocate them - they'll be back at your house before you can get there.
Good luck - and I hope others will chime in here soon!
I am unfamiliar with your house, so hopefully some landlords that are aware of good traps for your house will chime in here. Some landlords get the 'spare-o-door' or other type traps that work especially well when a pair of sparrows have 'bonded' with a particular cavity.
Either way, you're taking the right approach with trying to rid yourself of the house sparrows. Once you catch them, there are numerous ways to dispose of them. Just ask if you need help with that. Don't bother trying to relocate them - they'll be back at your house before you can get there.
Good luck - and I hope others will chime in here soon!
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
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James Johnson
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:30 am
- Location: Arkansas/Western Grove
Hi Neil, Welcome to the PMCA Forum
KathyF and Matt F. have given you great advice. The House Sparrow is a tenatious marauding critter whose motto is "until death do us part". Until that time you should continue regular removal of the House Sparrow nest to prevent House Sparrow residency. Don't worry about daily removal disturbing the Martins. They will fly when you lower the house but will soon return after it is raised. They may even be on the house before you get back to yours. I am ignorant of any scientific facts to support the premise that the Martins know you are evicting an enemy but I think they know. Be patient and good luck.
KathyF and Matt F. have given you great advice. The House Sparrow is a tenatious marauding critter whose motto is "until death do us part". Until that time you should continue regular removal of the House Sparrow nest to prevent House Sparrow residency. Don't worry about daily removal disturbing the Martins. They will fly when you lower the house but will soon return after it is raised. They may even be on the house before you get back to yours. I am ignorant of any scientific facts to support the premise that the Martins know you are evicting an enemy but I think they know. Be patient and good luck.
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The Olsons
- Posts: 3200
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:57 pm
- Location: North Padre Island, TX
Neil,
Welcome to the Forum a place with great people and great information
I could have not given you better advice than Matt and Katy did already. Other than the S&S there are also other predators i.e. raccoons, cats, anything climbing including snakes. If you have not done already you should definitely also put up a predator guard. There are many different types to choose from, including home made ones. This forum has many posts about predator guards and will give you good information as to what you prefer.
Here is a picture of what I do....a removable guard and snake netting underneath. It has worked great for us and I am sure other landlords will come up with what works for them.
I hope your martins will stay and wishing you a great 2009 martins season. Please never hesitate to ask questions or share your experiences and stories. Looking forward to many of your posts....
Astrid
Welcome to the Forum a place with great people and great information
I could have not given you better advice than Matt and Katy did already. Other than the S&S there are also other predators i.e. raccoons, cats, anything climbing including snakes. If you have not done already you should definitely also put up a predator guard. There are many different types to choose from, including home made ones. This forum has many posts about predator guards and will give you good information as to what you prefer.
Here is a picture of what I do....a removable guard and snake netting underneath. It has worked great for us and I am sure other landlords will come up with what works for them.
I hope your martins will stay and wishing you a great 2009 martins season. Please never hesitate to ask questions or share your experiences and stories. Looking forward to many of your posts....
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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Guest
Hay Neil!
Your wife is a keeper!!
Any lady that buys her hubby a martin house is A-OK in my book!
Or vice versa!
Your wife is a keeper!!
Any lady that buys her hubby a martin house is A-OK in my book!
Or vice versa!
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bwenger
- Posts: 1057
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
- Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of.
In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Neil,
If you end up buying a trap, I've heard that if you put white feathers into the trap, it will help in catching them. They seem to use those for their nests when they can.
Then, once you catch one, use that for a decoy to catch more.
Good luck in 2009.
Bill
If you end up buying a trap, I've heard that if you put white feathers into the trap, it will help in catching them. They seem to use those for their nests when they can.
Then, once you catch one, use that for a decoy to catch more.
Good luck in 2009.
Bill