"Roost" Question

[Keith]

Since this is my first year to participate in the Forum, I must say that it is exciting and informative and have always gotten all my questions answered. It appears that I do have more questions than answers.
I have never observed martins at a large roost location but have another question as to how safe these birds are at some of these roosts. Are they ever considered a nuisance to residents that are not "bird friendly" that would place them in danger? I sure hope the small colony that I call mine are able to return next year safely.

Keith Pellham

[John Miller]

Hi Keith


I've not heard of roosts causing problems in recent years in Missouri, but we have a dark history in this matter, and there a few reports each year from around the country of roosts in urban areas where it's not welcomed.

Last season, there was one in North Dallas in a shopping mall that caused a big stir. The mall management hired a pest control company to spray an irritant to discourage the birds. Local martins folks and Louise Chambers of the PMCA talked at length with mall reps and got the spaying stopped. In Missouri, in the 1960s there was an incident where shooters killed what they thought were starlings in trees at the govenor's mansion in Jefferson City. It made national news, and eventually there were some fines made.

Fortunately, most roosts form in rural areas away from people. I find it ironic that martins choose to live in our backyards -- but when they form their roosts, the often choose a remote area, such as a reed bed in a wetland (one at Erie, Pa.) or a grove of trees on an island (new roost in Arkansas). I find it reassuring in a way -- that martins are not pets; they are wild migratory birds, somewhat mysterious still to us.

There was a report a few weeks ago on a Missouri birding site by a Springfield weather reporter about a radar image of a roost in the Springfield area. I seem to have lost the post...but you might check weatherunderground's radar imaging website for Springfield at dawn and see what you see.

http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radbl ... X&type=N0R

John M

[mboike]

Have you looked at PMCA's roost map? There are quite a few possible roost sites in your state. You might find it fun to find and observe the roost site closest to where you live. They are listed by counties. PMCA has been encouraging PM landlords to find and report roost sites in their area. Keep in mind that if you live near your state's border, your birds could be going to a roost in a neighboring state. They don't pay attention to those little details!

http://purplemartin.org/roost/index.php?C=US&S=MO

In Minnesota, where I live, there is a small group of landlords who have been searching for roost sites in our state and have located several. Very interesting. Last year, and probably again this year, they rented pontoon boats at one of the sites for us all to observe our birds close-up and personal at a large roost. What a spectacular site to see!

[Craig Dyer]

Is there such a thing as a mini roost, or a pre-roost roost? I see as many as 250 plus martins lining up on the phone wires next to my colony site every evening, and again in the morning (not so many in the morning). They disappear at dusk. This has been going on for several weeks.

[Veronica G]

Hi Keith. I worry too about the martins' safety. I've been visiting my local roost every couple of days. It's in the parking lot of a VERY busy shopping center. Most people just drive on by, glancing up. A few people slow down for a few seconds to take a longer look. Actually, I'm a little disappointed only a couple of people have stopped to look or ask what all those birds are doing. It's obvious we're there to watch the birds (binoculars, cameras, etc), and I love to answer questions about purple martins. What gets me angry is when some jerk stops under the trees and lays on his horn to get all the birds to scatter. This has happened several times. It seems to take forever for all those birds to find a place to land, and then some guy comes and scares them off. But they always come back. I just wish I could be there every night. I feel very protective. I wish they were out in the middle of nowhere sometimes.

Veronica

[mboike]

Craig,

Seeing a large group of martins on wires in late evening is exactly how the guys here in Minnesota were able to locate a very large roost in a reed bed on a nearby lake. They observed birds on the wires in late evening, then watched to see what direction they flew when they all left at dusk. Heading in that direction, they eventually located the large roost where many thousands of martins were congregating. It's one of the large roosts that is easily seen on radar every morning at dawn.

[Dick Sherry]

Craig, there can be numerous staging areas near a major roost where the martins will begin to gather in the late afternoon and early evening before they head to the big roost. Many times they are on or near a lake or river. We have at least three staging areas around the Tulsa metro area that can have 10,000 to 20,000 martins gather for a half hour or more before they move to the downtown roost. They also seem to go back to some of these places when they disburse from the roost in the morning. My guess is that these places are good feeding and resting spots.

Veronica, there seems to be no shortage of morons around the country that will honk at, yell at or claps their hands loudly to try and get the birds to fly off from their roost trees. It is frustrating to watch it, but the martins do seem to come back and settle down fairly quickly. It is somewhat baffling to me that so many people put up martin housing, but so few people come out to see a martin roost. It is different from having them right in your own yard, but it is such an amazing sight to see thousands of martins in flight and diving down into the roost trees and never banging in to each other. Glad you are getting to experience your local roost!

[Craig Dyer]

Maybe there is a roost nearby. I will try to determine the direction they fly at dusk. My yard backs up against the Trinity River bottoms. There are many square miles of flood plain with small ponds, lakes and marsh land. Probably ideal for a roost. Unfortunately much of the area is inaccessible this time of year. Thick brush, biting insects, mosquito borne viruses, poisonous snakes, feral hogs...lots of unfriendly critters.