Perching Wire Advice?

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Hanover Bill
Posts: 656
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:10 pm
Location: Pennsylvania/Hanover Township
Martin Colony History: 2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72

I am thinking about running a perch wire off of my housing to a nearby perch I put up recently.

What is the best type of material to use for this and what diameter should it be?

Thanks in advance;
Hanover Bill.
2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
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ToyinPA
Posts: 2227
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
Location: PA/Avis
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.

Bill mine really like Power lines. I have 2 power lines running thru my yard & the main runs along side my yard & behind my property. Phone line runs across it too. Plus I have electic wire running over head to my garage. Can I say I'm over run with power lines, LOL.

My colony sits on these lines more than they sit on the houses.

Neighbor has his service ugraded & power company took one of the power lines down. I was furious they would not run the new line across my yard, as the martins used that line allot. I asked for the old line they took down. We then attached it to our garage & ran it to the peak of our house.

Call the power company & ask if they have any old line they want to get rid of. If they don't have any go to Lowe's & get the biggest round wire they have.

What ever you use try to get it up as high as you can. It can also run close to the house. One of my lines is only a couple feet away from the one house.

Toy in PA
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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

If you can find something 3/8 to 1/2 that would fit their little feet better. They will perch on something smaller but need to keep adjusting their balance.
Maybe use a long power cord or something like that.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Bob Fraser
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:39 pm
Location: North Carolina/Camden

Is it a good idea to run a wire between the housing and a perch? If it gets really windy, how would that affect the way the housing and/or perch swayed in the wind? I don't know if it would cause a lot of jerking? Just a thought.
PMCA member
2011 - 8 pair
2012 - 31 pair full house no more room at the inn.
as of 5/31 83 babies 63 eggs. Wound up with 173 fledged.

2013 - 35 pair around 200 fledged.
2018 - 80 pairs 420 fledged


I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
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Doug Martin - PA
Posts: 1988
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.

I would not attach it to the same pole as the martin housing. Eventually it will pull it to the side from the weight and tension.

Buy some 5' cane pole from the garden section at homedepot and attach it to your housing and to the extra perch pole in all directions.

If you want to use wire or a rope it will have to be heavy... you may need to brace 2 separate poles. The thicker the better.

An old tv antennae also works good too. Light but many perches.

Good luck Bill.

Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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AvianStewardess
Posts: 342
Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
Location: Maryland/Cambridge

I thought I read that - from a predator standpoint - it is not a good idea to have a perch go from something a critter could gain access to (the roof) and the PMs...
~Michelle
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
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