Tree Sparrows and Martins

[Guest]

Last year I grew a number of birdhouse gourds and over the winter I fashioned six houses with SRE's. I purposely held back on putting up the two racks on the pole until three weeks ago, to try and get the attention of some scouts and prevent any unwelcomed guests. Within ONE HOUR of putting up the racks, I noticed a tree sparrow hopping from gourd porch to gourd porch, looking inside the gourds. The next week, there was a nest inside consisting of pine needles, which belongs to the TS's. I had TS's in a bridhouse right near our swing last year and they were enjoyable. They would roost over our heads on the swing support and twittered away. My question is will purple martin's nest in a gourd rack where one of the gourds is already occupied.

[Guest]

You probably mean tree swallow. This should help:
http://www.drugfreeworkplace.com/~Dan/T ... GENCY.html

[Guest]

I feed birds close to my gourd rack and have lots of tree sparrows but they dont mess with the gourds but a Tit Mouse did

[Guest]

Yes I did. Thank You very much for the info. I looked at the site and am conflicted. The swallows are already sitting on the nest so I don't want to disturb them. I tried to wait as long as possible before putting the gourds up, but it didn't help. I can't believe how fast the swallow found the gourds. Any clues on how I can prevent this next year?

[Guest]

After they finish laying eggs you may be able to move the gourd to under the martin house pole and put it on a shepards hook. Once they finish laying they will stay even if you move it some.

[Guest]

Thanks Shannon, that sounds like an idea. I'll wait and see how it plays out. I enjoy watching the tree swallows hunt as well. I spent a number of hours last year on the swing watching them hunt over the river. They would even buzz the boat while we were fishing.

[flyin-lowe]

For next year set up a gourd early for the tree swallows and leave the PM housing closed up. Once the tree swallows lay eggs they will leave your other housing alone. They may perch on it from time to time but they won't keep martins from entering it. The key is to have the tree swallow gourd the appropriate distance away as is mentioned in Dans link above. If you get it too far away from your PM site then more tree swallows could move in. Try to get it 30-50 feet away and they will not allow other tree swallows to nest that close.

[Guest]

Thanks for all the help. Two months before I put the pole and gourds up, I did hang a gourd approximately 60' away in a pine tree. Nothing was in it. They must have liked the open area and gourds better. Last year, the tree swallows nested in a wooden house nailed to a tree right above our swing.

[Dan Drew]

Chapru,

You've been getting good advice here! Please be advised that you do not need to wait till next year to be successful getting martins... but you MUST get the TS out of your PM rig.

You have been given the "trick" of moving the TS gourd (even if it contains eggs or chicks) to a shepherd's hook... and you have been told the right geometry... 35 feet would be perfect! That advice has all been correct... but allow me to add one more thing:

DO IT NOW !! Last week would have been better.

Tree swallows should not live in your martin housing for even one day if you are trying to get martins to an unestablished site! Please take the time to study the "TS interference protocol" carefully. (URL is below.)

Also, I notice from your profile that your "site" is a cottage. If it is site where there is little human activity, that can sometimes be an impediment to getting martins. Purple martins prefer (?demand) a site where there is lots of human activity; so that's something to consider if you are not successful. Of course, it's nobody's fault if you cannot be there more often. It's just better if humans are around.

Good luck! ~Dan