A Brutal Fight ALMOST to the death--ASY female v. SY male

[Show-Me-Mike]

I've never seen anything like this before and hope NEVER to see it again. I got home today and looked over my two T-12 houses along with the eight troyer gourds all with conley 2 entrances and became sickened with what I saw. A huge fight was occurring in one of the lower compartments with dust flying, tails contorted, wings bent, heads in grotesque positions and an ASY male witnessing the display outside the compartment. I watched in shock for about 45 minutes as the ASY male entered twice, only to retreat moments later because it was all too brutal even for him. I finally couldn't take it any longer and lowered the house to separate whoever/whatever was inside. I also knew there were babies in that compartment from previous nest checks. As I was lowering the house I looked down and saw a baby lying on the ground still alive. All the martins in both houses (60+) had scattered everywhere by then, except the two still in the compartment. Upon opening the unit, I discovered an ASY female locked in frenzied combat with a SY male. They were both exhausted but still full of fight. I surmised that the SY male was the guilty intruder and found five babies, one of which was dead, but not dead a long time. I freed both martins and put the grounded baby back with its siblings and then removed the dead baby. All the other babies looked well.

I raised the house feeling relieved that it hadn't been any worse than what it was, but no sooner got back inside my house the two martins returned to the fight. I couldn't believe it! It went on a second time just like the first. After 15 minutes of witnessing these two locked in battle, I lowered the house again to separate them. I was really concerned about the female being killed and thereby dooming the babies. I hate to admit this, but I seriously considered taking out the SY male but my cooler head prevented me from doing it. After raising the martin house and getting back inside my own, the two returned to the compartment to CONTINUE THE FIGHT. At that point, I just resigned myself to let nature run its course and watched the fight go on and on and on. Finally, I saw one of the martins exit the compartment about halfway, totally exhausted, and just lay there for 10 minutes or so. I thought initially it was dead. But then it revived itself and exited completely but still couldn't or wouldn't fly. After a few more long minutes it flew off and didn't return. At first I couldn't confirm the victor, but finally the prevailing martin stuck its head out and it was clearly the ASY female. She exited after a while and stood there, tall and triumphant, obviously fine and still full of fight. I was thrilled she won the battle and relieved, as I'm sure she was, that it was over. I'm certain that the SY male will never return.

[Petermcc~Canada]

My first and only brood of nestlings was killed by an ASY male. He drove off the SY male and the mother SY watched calmly as he pulled each of her nestlings from the compartment and dropped them to the ground. I repeated replaced the nestlings in the compartment, but the ASY male finished the struggle by carrying all three nestlings one at a time to the nearby river and dropped them into the open water.

[Show-Me-Mike]

Peter,
Every year, and I'm certain this year will be no different, I lose more nestlings to sub-adult males than from any other cause. I love them (sub-adult males) but they're troublemakers. I was thrilled the ASY female prevailed, but I'm sure it doesn't always end this way. I was surprised that the ASY male didn't hang tougher with his mate. He let her take the full force of the attack. I was equally surprised that the ASY female was as tenacious and ferocious as she was. She absolutely would have gone to her death for her nestlings. I have no doubt that the remaining nestlings, with a mother like this one, will see their fledge day and with any luck, will see Brazil come September.

[KathyF]

Heh - "Girl Power"...

Seriously, Mike, so glad it turned out well for your female - never underestimate the fury of a mother when her babes are threatened. I've never witnessed such a serious fight, but I have seen some that I had to break up. They usually don't return and restart the fighting so quickly though.

I'm glad you were there to find the baby on the ground and save him.

This story makes me wish the rain would hurry up & finish here today so that I can get out & at least do a walk around.

[Peggy Riley]

Mike, I found an entrapped ASY male in a tunnel with a 10 day nestling under him. The female and the remaining 5 babies were OK. I believe he was trying to discard the baby, she fought him and held onto him so he could not exit. It was not the typical wing entrapment as the male was headed straight out with his wings in the correct backward position.

I'm never experienced this with ASY males but apparently it does happen.
Peggy

[razman]

wow, thats just crazy stuff! does anyone know why this behavior occurs with some of the males? i've never heard of this before. rick

[Show-Me-Mike]

Rick,
Sub-adult males (particularly unmated ones) are notorious for trespassing in compartments not their own and attempting to remove eggs and/or babies. They're trying to break-up the pair-bond, take over the compartment, and then recruit a female for mating. Mostly these efforts are rebuffed but many times results in serious baby and/or egg loss. There hasn't been a year yet that I didn't lose babies or eggs to sub-adult males. I have to admit however that I've never witnessed an ASY male display similar behavior. It apparently does happen as evidenced by other landlord's experiences with it.

The viciousness of the fight with this ASY female and SY male is something I had not seen before. It went FAR beyond the norm. I also learned that there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. My efforts to intervene were useless, so you just have to sit back and let it run its course.