Excluder Gourds

[J Getting]

Has anyone ever put on a Troyer Tunnel or Clinger Tunnel on the Excluder gourds? I really like these gourds, but I think I would like them even better with tunnels...Jim

[Steve Kroenke]

I have 36 Excluder Gourds and don't have tunnels on them. They are 100% occupied by purple martins each season.

A late friend who lived about 6 miles northwest of our martin colonies used many Super Gourds and Excluder Gourds. She installed Troyer Tunnels on all her Super Gourds and many of her Excluders. The martins readily accepted the change. However, the tunnel addition had no impact on occupancy levels as the gourds were always 100% occupied before the conversion.

So yes, you can install tunnels on Excluder Gourds. Any extension to the entrance area of a cavity provides greater security/privacy to the martins inside. You might want to change the way the gourds are suspended. Instead of a front to back swing, you might want to convert to a side to side swing. The tunnel adds more weight to the front and when the martins land on the porch or the babies cluster inside the tunnel, this can produce a downward tilt. I prefer my tunneled gourds to swing side to side to eliminate too much tilting downward.

Steve

[Connie Roman ~ NJ]

I have the Excluder gourds (and I’m thrilled with them). I didn’t put tunnels on, but I put the Excluder owl guards on that the PMCA sells. I think not having a tunnel on them helps with air circulation and ventilation. It’s just a thought.

[John Miller]

Because I obsess over preventing wing entrapment, I cut an arch from 3 inch thin wall drain pipe and install it over the inside Excluder gourd porch...so makes a bit of a tunnel on the inside, but only about 3/4 inch wide. However, over several seasons now, I have not heard of wing entrapment in these gourds and so this may be overkill. But you asked if anyone has done a tunnel on these gourds, and this technique maybe qualifies. Keep in mind that these gourds have wonderful porches...very thick and would withstand a hail storm. Most commerical tunnels do not, so I was also trying not to toss out the baby with the bath, or something like that. John M

[Louise Chambers]

John,

That looks good, and pretty easy to do(?).

[JamesinIA]

A few years ago when I was visiting with Andy Troyer at his shop, I asked about installing tunnels in excluder gourds. He told me to take one of his tunneled entrances and put it against the gourd and trace around the tunnel onto the gourd. Then take a jig saw and cut out the hole and sand or rasp to fit. I used a polyseamseal adhesive caulk both on the outside and inside to hold it in place. Let the tunnel stick through the inside of the gourd about an inch. My martins seem to like them a lot but as Steve said they will tilt foreword with the extra weight on the front. I was thinking of using no-rockers or drilling new holes to hang them vertically so they don't tip foreword.

Those Excluders are great gourds and should hold up for many years and I think that the martins will like the tunnels too.

James

[Doug Martin - PA]

I have had excellent success starting a colony with Excluder II gourds with excluder II entrances.

I have found however the entrance opening is slightly small on most all of them so check it. You may need to drill new holes and raise the porch up about a half inch to make it easier to navigate as well. For sure on earlier manufactured models.

I have so many other types of gourds to offer but all the first pairs chose these particular gourds. One of the great features that is well liked by the Martins is the depth from the entrance to the bottom of the gourd. Even when filled to the line with pine straw it provides a good deep pocket for the nest. They seem to like this.

Also as mentioned is the strong and wide porch that is easily gripped. Both parents can take turns easily coming and going when feeding. This porch is also used by the birds to hide under inside as I have witnessed with a nest cam.

This is one gourd I have found no need for a tunnel and has been chosen well ahead of the tunneled gourds at my site.

[Keith]

The excluder gourd is the only gourd I use that I do not put tunnels on. I did put the porches on these however, both inside and out almost level with the entrance. Good housing. Always occupied.
Keith

[jeanf]

Hey Keith,
I'm just about to order some of these gourds, did you just buy extra porches and install them on the inside?

Thanks,
Jean
Central Texas

[John Miller]

Jean

The porches come in sets of two..so one goes in and one out.

One tip I've found: it's hard to reach inside with a wrench and hold the little nut and tighten it with a screw driver outside. I first put a no. 10 "tooth" lock washer inside, then I can pretty well tighten with finger pressure (feeling my way) on the inside nut, or you can replace the nut provided with one that has a lock washer already attached to it.

John M

[Keith]

Jean, The porches I did receive when buying the gourds because they are designed for this particular gourd having the pre-drilled holes. My gourds came with the Cresent entrance and I did drill new holes for the porches because I wanted the porch one/sixteenth inch from the bottom of entrance, at least the outside porch.
Keith

[jeanf]

Hmmm... I bought the Excluder gourds (12) and it comes with the outside porch, so I only need the inside half. Have to figure out something. Wonder if I can just buy six sets and use them all as inside porches since my gourds come with the outside part.

Thanks for the tips, guys!

After reading some of the other posts I was thinking about making a false bottom for the gourd to raise up the floor.... maybe a piece of plastic (like from a waste basket) cut in a circle with drain holes drilled into it. That would alleviate needing an inside porch..... still thinking. The rack and gourds will be here in a few days.

[Louise Chambers]

Jean, if you are adding pine straw, you might be able to build up the inside level with that, to bring it close to outer porch. I suppose how well the martins handle the entrance also influences need for porch - with some SREHs I think an inside porch would be good.

[jeanf]

I'll have to take a drive to East Texas to get some pine needles. None this side of I35. ...

[Kelly Applegate~MN]

Hi Jean,

I keep all of my interior porches in the excluder gourds for a few reasons:
-they provide a hiding place for the young in case of a predator attack
-easier for the adults to feed with the young standing on the interior porch
-adults can take the fecal sacs out much easier with the young on the porch
-young can poop out the front entrance rather than have it build-up inside

I do raise the porch up to 3/8" since the starling pressure here is huge. I also use owl guards (the long, skinny ones that attach to the arms).

Kelly in MN

[jeanf]

Thanks Kelly,
What I'm wondering is if I can install the outer half porch as an inside one since my excluder gourds come with the outside half already. This way I wouldn't only have to buy six sets instead of 12 and then waste the outside halves, if that makes sense?

Jean

[Louise Chambers]

Jean, I checked - the porches are the same, so can be swapped around. Only diff is outer porches have indentations for owl guards.

[jeanf]

Thanks Louise! So cool! I can order just six sets for my 12 gourds. That's what I'll do. Problem solved. Thanks again!

Jean

[daveh]

Jean, when I bought my Excluder gourds they came with an inner and outer Snyder porch. Are you sure you just got the outside porch?

dave

[jeanf]

I knew I should have waited. No, I'm not sure. Lol I just ordered them. Called to cancel. Thanks for the heads up!