Abandoned nests

Jaique · Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:12 pm

Our martins have been gone for more than one week. I assumed the babies were eaten by a predator, and the parents left. But I just checked, and each nest has eggs in it; perfect eggs...no cracks. Also no insects, and no trace of any predator. The houses's doors were closed and no evidence of an intruder.

So, where and why did the adults leave? We had four mated pairs, and a total of 21 eggs. Is it weather? Like everywhere else, we have had more rain than is usual, but each day has had at least a few hours of food-catching time.

It's like "The Lost Colony". Any ideas?

MamaBruff · Mon Jul 01, 2013 8:23 pm

Snake vs Black Flies?

M.Stephens · Mon Jul 01, 2013 8:41 pm

Sounds more like aerial predators got some of the adults. With larger colonies it is easier to bounce back but with only three or four pair it can be tough. I believe if it were rat snakes you wouldn't have any eggs left.

Jaique · Mon Jul 01, 2013 9:21 pm

Thanks. I have come to the conclusion that it is probably a hawk, owl, crow, or all of the above. Next year=owl guards. I am ashamed that I am a slow learner.

M.Stephens · Mon Jul 01, 2013 9:59 pm

What kind of predator guards do you have on your 12 room house?

Jaique · Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:45 am

I have a guard that hangs at the bottom of the pole. A long tube. Forget what it's called. Got it from the PMCA Shop. No guards on the holes; will definitely order that next.

Dennis D · Thu Jul 04, 2013 12:04 am

I do not think all adults would have abandoned your site if one or two had been grabbed by a hawk. Have you seen any predators around like hawks or heard any owls? How were your martins acting? Did they fly right into the compartments when they came back or did they hang out and socialize? Your situatuion sounds a little strange to me. Can you provide any additional info? Once martins have eggs it takes something very tramatic to drive them off. Hope you can figure it out.

pmlover · Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:34 am

Ive had box inserts that are flat with a dam board in front and a groove where the nest would be in the back .I have cardboard ones and wooden ones. Thanks Dick

Jaique · Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:09 am

Dennis...thanks for taking the time to post. We do have hawks and owls around here, but my martins have stayed safe in the past. I did a search online and a very long article came up from 2006...written by one of the admins of this site, I think......and explains how owls get to the martins, and that, after 2 or 3 nights of harassment, and a death or two, the survivors will get scared and leave. He went on to say that if they had babies, they would NOT leave, but they would abandon their eggs if they were frightened enough.

It's all a sad mystery as to what got them/scared them. I will just make owl guards and try to better protect them next year.

Jaique · Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:16 am

And to answer your other question, they did hang out with each other on their porches and the top of the house, would leave and catch things over the lake, return and hang out some more. Some would go inside the holes. They behaved like all was well and were happy. Of course, I didn't watch constantly and we have had much rain here that kept me inside most of the day on several days. But our rain has been intermittent and should not have affected their ability to feed. I don't think the weather was so dire that they starved. I assume starved birds would be found in the house? No bodies anywhere, no feathers and nests seemed undisturbed.