McVickers 5; Starlings 0

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glmcvickers
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:15 pm
Location: Hohenwald/Tennessee

We got 3 Starling females out of our housing today and smashed 2 eggs one of them had managed to lay.

Will the males take off or will they try and attract more females to our site?
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Our not too happy Martins on a stormy day in TN
Our not too happy Martins on a stormy day in TN
Martins April 2011 013.jpg (21.52 KiB) Viewed 2564 times
Hanging close to home.
Hanging close to home.
Martins April 2011 011.jpg (21.51 KiB) Viewed 2564 times
Highland Rim Purple Martin's rock!!!!
2014 - 52 cavities, 44 pair, 175 E's
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Donnie Hurdt MN
Posts: 1723
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:14 pm
Location: North Prairie, MN

I would think they would try to attract a female back to your site but I dont think the male starling are attatched to a nesting site as much as a male sparrow is.
PMCA member and Martin fanatic....
2011 A pair of subbies fledged three young but none returned in 2012 :-(
2015 One Pair of subbies came and stayed a few nits but got chased away by Bluebirds and Tree swallows. :-(
2017 0ne pair of subbies nested and fledged 4 young
2018 Tree Swallows AGAIN chased away any martins that wanted to nest :evil:
2019 Same old story................ :-(
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Sam Harris
Posts: 280
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:23 am
Location: Oklahoma/Choctaw & Tinker AFB

I also got rid of a male starling today by a Daisy pellet gun. I haven't seen any HOSP at all this spring.
Sam
Choctaw, OK


2010...1 pair/5 eggs/5 fledged
2011...2pair/9 eggs/7 fledged
2012...5 pair/28 eggs/25 fledged
2013...12 pair/62 eggs/51 fledged
2014...15 pair/85 eggs/55 fledged
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RC Moser
Posts: 1546
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 3:25 am

IMO yes the male starling has taken that cavity and may take others. He will sit nearby singing his song and flapping his wings luring females in that haven't found nest cavities yet. You need to feed him some lead for a good ambush site based on where he sets and how close you can get so the first shot counts.
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dsonyay
Posts: 1677
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
Location: Louisiana/Broussard
Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.

2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)

2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.

2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged

2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(

2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go.

2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.

yeah- find a good hiding spot' throw some bread, and corn nearby and get that Daisy out.
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glmcvickers
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:15 pm
Location: Hohenwald/Tennessee

I've been shooting at them all spring with a pellet gun. When they see the gun round the corner of the barn they fly off. I work and we don't live on the farm where the housing is so I can't be there all day...that's the problem. I spend all weekend there chasing them off. I need to make a blind of some kind and take a vacation. What we won't do for our beloved Martin family.
Highland Rim Purple Martin's rock!!!!
2014 - 52 cavities, 44 pair, 175 E's
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