Still trying... I want to hear from you.

[Courtney-NC]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? Plastic- 2 houses, 6 gourds
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 1 multi-house rack with a fountain gourd rack underneath
How many units do you have available? 20
How many units do you have open? 20
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? No, 2nd year trying
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? n/a
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? another colony about 1.5 miles away
What is your region/state/location? Holly Springs, NC (Wake County)
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? Suburban/rural
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? Decoys and Dawnsong Cds
What are your site competitors? starlings, bluebirds, Hosp

[Carlton]

I would like to hear from all of you trying to become landlords.

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? ALUMINUM TRIO HOUSES & PLASTIC TROYER HORIZONTAL GOURDS & NATURAL GOURDS
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? FOUR
How many units do you have available? 24
How many units do you have open? 24
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? 13 PAIRS
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? NO
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? NO
What is your region/state/location? SOUTHERN COASTAL DELAWARE
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? SUBURBAN
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? DECOYS AND DAWNSONG CD
What are your site competitors? HOUSE SPARROWS, STARLINGS,HOUSE WRENS & TREE SWALLOWS

[razman]

I would like to hear from all of you trying to become landlords.

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? aluminum
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 3 poles, 3 houses, 4gourds
How many units do you have available? 52
How many units do you have open? 8
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? no
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? no
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? don't believe so
What is your region/state/location? wichita kansas
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? urban in city
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? decoys, dawnsong
What are your site competitors? S&S, lots of sparrows!

i believe this is my 5th year for trying, nothing so far this year.....have 3 trio houses, and four gourds hanging below one of the houses. play dawn song, and have decoys. (which i took down a couple of days ago just in case they were scaring new martins)
i cut down a large pine tree last year to open the site up a bit, but still have trees that are relatively close to the housing. don't know if that is the problem or not. i also know of a MARTIN HOG that lives less than two miles away.....he has over 40 houses, and keeps adding more each year! (don't get me started) and i can't say for sure that he is affecting my ability to get martins.......(but it's the best excuse i can come up with) rick

[Grady]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? Two plastic houses with 12 plastic gourds
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 2 poles two houses 12 gourds
How many units do you have available? 36
How many units do you have open? ?
Have you ever had martins? There are several that started hanging around three days ago
If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? None yet
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? no
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? I don't know
What is your region/state/location? Aurora, IN
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? rural
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? decoys, dawnsong
What are your site competitors? sparrows, male red wing blackbirds are almost continuously perched on top of the houses but it doesn't seem to bother the martins.

[bwenger]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? Wood T14 with a gourd rack. Not putting up my Coates Watersedge Suite house this year.

How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 3, T14, gourd rack and a bed and breakfast.

How many units do you have available? 20

How many units do you have open? 7 cavities on the T14 and 3 gourds

Have you ever had martins? no

If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? not applicable

Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? no colony started, but weather has affected some possible pairs staying, on two different years, lost ASY birds to the weather.

If so, what was that event? weather

Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? no

What is your region/state/location? Northwest Pa

Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? Rural

Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? decoys, dawnsong tape and daytime chatter.

What are your site competitors? more sparrows than starlings

Looking forward to this being my year !!!!

Bill

[Guest]

gobbler T wrote:
Just curious, Why?

I am an analyst so I am putting together a spreadsheet to find a pattern. I would like to see those of you who have been waiting for years to become actual landlords. I have been reading this forum for some time now and it just seems that there is a pattern, but I need all your feedback to pinpoint. I know there are going to be some obvious reasons (12 Reasons Why People Lose Their Martins), but there must be a way to attract a colony or re-attract a colony. I have got some theories. I am good at seeing details through all of the obvious. You all know the situation, when everything seems right, but you have zero Purple Martins.


I think it's great that you are trying to figure this out. I have been trying for two years and have nothing to show for it yet. I thought I was one of the few that just couldn't attract Martins, but after seeing this post, I realize there are a lot here like me. I hope everybody on this forum feeds their information to you and you finally crack the code. Share what you find out with us, then copyright it. If you crack the code, you deserve to be compensated.

Phil

[Littlebit45]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)?metal
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have?1pole 3 gourds
How many units do you have available?1 metal house 3 gourds
How many units do you have open? started out with 1 hole open then opened all after the pair came in
Have you ever had martins?no If so, how many pair successfully fledged young?
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event?
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? yes
What is your region/state/location? Owensboro/Henderson Kentucky
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? rural
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? decoys
What are your site competitors? house sparrows

[Perry D. Vogel]

Please keep the replies coming. Feel free to create and answer more questions.

What type of entrance holes are you used?
How many years have you tried?
Are there any Purple Martins in your area or do you ever see any around?

[Guest]

What type of entrance holes are you used?
How many years have you tried?
Are there any Purple Martins in your area or do you ever see any around?

Round holes for now.
The first time I had martins, it took 10 years to get the first pair. This was in a home-made martin house like you see in craft malls and such. It was before I knew anything AT ALL about martins. My husband bought it for me as a gift, and I just put it up on a 14 foot steel pole and waited- for 10 years.
I believe I am seeing a decline in martin numbers in my immediate area, and I suspect it may be due to starling competition, although that is just a hunch at this point. There are several old dilapidated martin houses within a 5 mile range of me, and only one martin landlord I know of that practices S&S control.

[Guest]

19 gourds all types of entrances natural, plastic.
alumiuim housing watersedge
2 poles total
trying for 9 years at this location
No colonies near me except for the one are about 20 miles from me
rural location
open space except for one side woods
cd, decoys two stereos 6 speakers same cd playing sunrise to sunset
no martins, just visitors for the last 3 yrs.
NJ, live near a bird santurary near the bay.
sparrow, starlings, traps, there not a real pest around my site again trap them all year.
One of my decoys painted the underside white give impression of a female.

[Guest]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would like to hear from all of you trying to become landlords.

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)?
Wood T-10 round holes, owl guards, 4 natural gourds underneath. 14 cavities
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have?
One pole - one house.
How many units do you have available?
14
How many units do you have open?
14
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young?
No
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event?
N/A
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site?
No
What is your region/state/location?
Central Florida, Oviedo - east of Orlando.
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural?
Suburban/rural
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried?
Several decoys, Dawn song, etc..
What are your site competitors?
None - Do have resident Cooper Hawks - Constant presence.
Been trying for 2 years (second season). Had two visitors last year and one that I know of this year. Very few marins in the area - rarely if ever see them fly around. Nearest colony that I know (small two poles) of is at least 10 miles away.

[DaveHRRTX]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? Plastic
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 1
How many units do you have available? 20
How many units do you have open? 20
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? Yes , 8 pair last year
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? No, but plenty of close calls with Hawks and Aggressive Starlings
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? Yes, at least three other active colonies
What is your region/state/location? Central Texas, near Austin,I live on a heavily wooded golf course.
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? Suburban, bordering on rural.
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? No, plenty of returning PMs every year.
What are your site competitors? Sparrows and Starlings (starlings in spite of SREH crescents)

Dave

[rtolliver]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)?super and troyer gourds
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 4
How many units do you have available? 52
How many units do you have open? 52
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? 5 pair in 2 yrs
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? 2008 8 pair lost their young to biting gnats ( flood )
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? y
What is your region/state/location? Washington, IN
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? suburban
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? n/a
What are your site competitors? sparrows and startlings

[Stephen Thomas]

Perry D. Vogel,

I have a metal octogon heath house. Only changes I made to it was put a ceiling in so birds would not go from compartment to comartment. The other changes are I left 4 round holes as is. Then I put on new plates that were crescant shaped or the bat wing stlye.

Then I have 1 plastic gourd.
# natural gourds: 1 oval entrance, one cresant entrance other natural I made into a horizontal with oval opening.

Best to all.

Steve Thomas

[Guest]

Just to let you know Mr. Perry, I sent you a PM.

[Guest]

I would like to hear from all of you trying to become landlords.

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? Natural & Plastic Gourds
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 2
How many units do you have available? 8
How many units do you have open? 8
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? No
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? No
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? No
What is your region/state/location? Northern Illinois
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? Rural
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? Decoys. Dawnsong & Day Time Chatter
What are your site competitors? Sparrows & Starlings

[Guest]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? Metal
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? One
How many units do you have available? 12
How many units do you have open? 8
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? One breeding pair last year lost eggs to HOSP
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event? Not a colony but, as stated above, pair lost eggs
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? Yes
What is your region/state/location? Western North Virginia
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? rural
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? No
What are your site competitors?
- HOSP - Using deluxe repeating sparrow trap
- Starlings - See a few from time to time - no interest in PM house ATM - no SREH installed
- Wren - Have BB houses mounted in trees on edge of woods 150' from PM house, wrens seem to prefer those to PM house

[dcartwright]

Thought I would give you my third year (2003) in trying history because you had asked for those "trying". I have much more today.


What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? 1 Wood House & 4 Natural Gourds
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 2
How many units do you have available? 16
How many units do you have open? 16
Have you ever had martins? Yes. If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? 1 pair the year before fledged 4
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? No. If so, what was that event?
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? Yes
What is your region/state/location? Central Kentucky
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? rural
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? Yes. Carved two wooded decoy ASY Males
What are your site competitors?
- HOSP, Starlings (shoot both every chance I get), Wrens, BB, TS (many box houses located 50' min from PM site. No problems w/TS or BB)

After I got my first pair, my numbers increased most every year. Today I only have gourds (HS & starlings loved the house too much) with SREH on most, last count 67 & 40 plus pairs today.

Don in Kentucky

[sheila&dwayne]

What are your housing types (wood, metal, plastic, natural, or other)? one wood, one metal and 3 plastic gourds
How many house poles or gourd poles do you have? 2
How many units do you have available? 23
How many units do you have open? 23
Have you ever had martins? If so, how many pair successfully fledged young? they played last year
Was there an event that caused you to lose your colony? If so, what was that event?
Are there other colonies within 1/4-1/2 mile of your site? yes
What is your region/state/location? northern alberta canada
Are you located urban, suburban, or rural? urban
Do you use decoys, tapes, or other attraction methods? If so, what methods have you tried? decoys
What are your site competitors? house sparrows

so far this year we have 14 birds as of may 21.

[Perry D. Vogel]

...If you crack the code, you deserve to be compensated.

Purple Martins deserve to be provided with good homes. We the people have caused many of the challenges these beautiful and fascinating birds encounter. We owe it to the Purple Matins. If I crack the code, make a pledge to donate to the PMCA.