Cloth for nesting during the cold months
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Gene Crosby
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:16 pm
- Location: Louisiana / Bush
Has anyone tried using cloth for nesting material during the cold months? Thanks
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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
Martins usually like to use materials that do not absorb moisture. The cloth would quickly absorb moisture, and they may throw out the cloth. To answer your question, I never tried cloth.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
Don't use cloth in nests! I tried that my first year ( inexperienced). I was losing babies to parasites and did not know what to do, I cleaned out the nests and put the babies on cloth in a shoe box until I was done. I put the babies back in their nests using the cloth 
. The next day after getting new bedding from the pet store, I lowered the house and the thread from the cloth had wrapped around one of the babies necks 
. Fortunately the baby did not die but if I had not checked the nest when I did it would have strangled. So if using cloth make sure no threads can come loose!
Rob.
. The next day after getting new bedding from the pet store, I lowered the house and the thread from the cloth had wrapped around one of the babies necks . Fortunately the baby did not die but if I had not checked the nest when I did it would have strangled. So if using cloth make sure no threads can come loose!Rob.
2009. 98 eggs, 66 hatch, 61 fledged.
2010. 114 eggs, 89 hatch,70 fledged.
2011. 96 eggs. 80 hatch,68 fledged.Heavy Merlin preditation.
2012. 89 eggs. 56 hatch, good fledge. Guards installed. Merlin not sighted at houses.
2013. First Egg May 24, first Baby June 13.
2014. successful.
2015. successful.
2016. Martin's population decline, suspect new housing in the neighborhood. Merlin eating well also!
2017.Population explosion
. first egg May 25 in a BO-11
2018. Population stable.
2010. 114 eggs, 89 hatch,70 fledged.
2011. 96 eggs. 80 hatch,68 fledged.Heavy Merlin preditation.
2012. 89 eggs. 56 hatch, good fledge. Guards installed. Merlin not sighted at houses.
2013. First Egg May 24, first Baby June 13.
2014. successful.
2015. successful.
2016. Martin's population decline, suspect new housing in the neighborhood. Merlin eating well also!
2017.Population explosion
. first egg May 25 in a BO-112018. Population stable.
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Gene Crosby
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:16 pm
- Location: Louisiana / Bush
I was talking about using the cloth just for a few weeks until it warms up here in south Louisiana. Last year it snowed and the temperature dropped and I lost an ASY male.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Gene,
You want to give the early birds something to help them stay warm, that's a good practice. Most of us use pine straw, dried pine needles - you can probably collect shed pine needles in the neighborhood, as long as the needles are soft, not the sharp short needles from spruce trees.
If pine needles aren't available, you can use wood shavings (not sawdust) - you can buy bales of aspen shavings at pet supply sections.
Put a good couple of inches of either material into gourds and houses - the martins will be more comfortable during cold spells. I suggest avoiding cloth, birds could snag a toenail in it, fighting birds could get tangled or drag it across the entrance hole.
You want to give the early birds something to help them stay warm, that's a good practice. Most of us use pine straw, dried pine needles - you can probably collect shed pine needles in the neighborhood, as long as the needles are soft, not the sharp short needles from spruce trees.
If pine needles aren't available, you can use wood shavings (not sawdust) - you can buy bales of aspen shavings at pet supply sections.
Put a good couple of inches of either material into gourds and houses - the martins will be more comfortable during cold spells. I suggest avoiding cloth, birds could snag a toenail in it, fighting birds could get tangled or drag it across the entrance hole.
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
I would avoid clothe because it collects moisture from the natural humidity in the air. Whereas, white pine needles quickly dry out after contact with moisture and deters humidity. Even the body heat from the martins will be hard to wick away moisture that forms in the clothe. The simple space between the white pine needles act as a good insulator and lets air circulate freely to stay warm and dry.