fledglings, where do they live?

[Guest]

Once the new PMs leave the nest, where do they live?
Is it possible to get them in new housing after they leave the nest? or do they hang around their home colony only?

Tim

[Louise Chambers]

After fledging, martins may come back to their home gourd or compartment for a week or two, while learning to feed themselves. After that, they sleep in trees, under bridges, in cattail islands, corn fields - these martin roosts can remain active from early June to August or Sept, as some birds leave, new ones arrive from points further north.

They are not likely to use different housing for roosting after they fledge - housing is only for the breeding season, and they are too young and innocent to be thinking about that til next spring But you can play dawnsong or chatter recordings in mid-late summer to try to get some familiar with your site, just the same.

[Guest]

Thanks Louise.

I have done lots of reading, but never came across that info.
I see a lot of posts about birds having more than one nest of young, but in my yard it seems all the nests are abandoned after the first set fledge. That led me to thinking about where the youg will live in the first year.

Tim

[Mary Dawnsong]

Hi Knifeman,

With rare exception, purple martins have only one brood. They just don't have the time for more than one, given their long migration to/from Brazil.

The rare two-brood exceptions happen in the deep south.

My best, Mary