Do martins love sitting out in rain?

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Bulldog1
Posts: 700
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:33 am
Location: Mississippi/Hamilton

I get up this morning, hear thunder, and while on the way to the coffee, check out my gourds from the living room window. There are several martins sitting out in the pouring rain while there are plenty of empty gourds to go into. Seem to be enjoying it. Go figure.
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2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
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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

They do the same here. After all, they spend most of their life sitting outside when it rains, their feathers shed the water with no problem. They probably like the cool rain.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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DornCounty
Posts: 2169
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
Location: Rural SE Kansas
Martin Colony History: .
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Trio-Jedi

they appear to, mine sit out in it as long as it's not a driving rain or windy.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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AvianStewardess
Posts: 342
Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
Location: Maryland/Cambridge

Mine will congregate on the which ever side of the house is out of the wind...we haven't had daytime rain since serious nesting was under way...wonder if that would be tolerated right now.
~Michelle
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Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
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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.

About half of my colony loves a good blowing storm. As soon as it starts they leave the houses & sit on the power lines. They face the wind & let the driving rain pound them. They do what I call " the butt wiggle dance", LOL. They wiggle those butts & tail feathers. As the wind/rain lets up some they turn around. A good driving rain cleans their feathers & washes away any mites/etc. Of course the whole time I'm watching out the window having a panic attack they'll all get killed. Nature is as Nature does :).

Toy in PA
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AvianStewardess
Posts: 342
Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
Location: Maryland/Cambridge

Nice, steady drizzle going on here this morning. Quite the chatter from the house antennae. Lots of preening and shaking. Who cares if a few sprinkles are getting on the window sill? Can't hear them well with it closed! :grin:
~Michelle
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
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Triroberts
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:25 pm
Location: Texas/San Antonio

I wouldn't know. I've never had rain here in during my 2 purple martin seasons. :-(
2011 - first year landlord with 1 pair, 5 hatched, 3 fledged.
2012 - 2 pairs, 12 eggs.
2013 - 2 pairs, 4 fledged
2014 - 1 pair, 6 eggs, 5 about to fledge
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Virgil McCoy
Posts: 302
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 3:06 pm
Location: Louisiana/Alexandria
Martin Colony History: Purple Martin Landlord since 2006

Mine seem to love it! I like to sit on my back porch and watch them enjoy the rain just as much as the sun!
Proud to be a fourth generation Purple Martin landlord.
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