Dogone Starlings Getting in SREH Entrances
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
VERY CLEAR pics Jim. Thanks for posting those.
I can't believe it. I put some molding on the porches about 2.5 inches deep and raised the height below the openings to about 1/8 inch, and the darn starlings scooted right in anyway, what the heck, I hate those buggers, war has been declared
Golf is Great - Keep it in the Short Grass
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Do you have some kind of way to check the size of the openings. They need to be 1-3/16in...Digital calipers work. Some people make a go-nogo gage to check the size, and its easy to use and cheap to make. Put a mark on the go-nogo gage at 1-3/16in. Make it so that one end is about 1-2/16in and the other about 1-4/16in, and the SREH should be at 1-3/16in
This go-nogo gage is really handy for anyone having starlings entering problem, even for people that say that the martins cannot enter. Seems like we hear a lot of both of them. The gage is a good reassurance that the holes are the right size. Then if the holes are the right size, you don't have a lot to worry about as things will usually work out ok
This go-nogo gage is really handy for anyone having starlings entering problem, even for people that say that the martins cannot enter. Seems like we hear a lot of both of them. The gage is a good reassurance that the holes are the right size. Then if the holes are the right size, you don't have a lot to worry about as things will usually work out ok
That's correct. They are just using them as door stops until they're ready to open them up for "business".frostman wrote:Matt, what are the clothes pins for??? Are they just there waiting to open the house at the right time????? Cary
Emil, you were right. The openings were 1 3/8 inches maybe larger. What is the smallest martins can get in. I reduced the size, but some are now less then 1 3/16 in size.
Golf is Great - Keep it in the Short Grass
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
I don't know the smallest size that a martin can enter. We really don't want to go any smaller than necessary, as the smaller entrances are also harder for the martins to enter. The 1-3/16in seems to work on keeping out the starlings, so most people do not want to go any lower. I had some that were too small and the martins tried for 2 days but could not enter. As soon as I enlarged them to 1-3/16 the martins were able to enter, but they did struggle until they learned how to enter.
My suggestion, don't make them smaller than 1-3/16in. These measurements are so critical, many people don't realize the importance of getting an SREH that is the exact size.
If you can remember which ones are undersized, you can watch the martins to see if they can enter, you may find that you must enlarge them.
My suggestion, don't make them smaller than 1-3/16in. These measurements are so critical, many people don't realize the importance of getting an SREH that is the exact size.
If you can remember which ones are undersized, you can watch the martins to see if they can enter, you may find that you must enlarge them.
I made plain 1-3/16 high crescants, only 1/4" above the porches and the dang satans houseflies are still getting in there. I am in the most North most West part of Ohio and I have not seen a PM yet, I had 2 pairs last summer who each fledged 4-5 babies.
Bill
Bill