Nestling & fledgling martin deaths

[Louise Chambers]

Sad to say, the PMCA is receiving reports of dead nestlings and fledge age martins from many states—MN, IL, MI, OH, PA, to name some. We believe the deaths are mostly due to recent cold, rainy weather that made feeding difficult. PMCA's bio-tech Bob Aeppli found a total of 12 dead young at our Presque Isle SP sites yesterday - some of them had fledged, but didn't survive the transition to becoming independent, they were found in cavities that were previously empty.

[ToyinPA]

Louise:

I have noticed a major lack of bugs this year. It's only been the last few days that I saw dragonflies being brought in. Even at that my colony is still accepting crickets at night when they come in. Parents are also feeding fledged chicks crickets. They wouldn't accept them if they were able to find enough to eat.

My colony showed up very hungry this year & have been accepting crickets ever since. Up until a few days ago chicks were being feed any bugs they could find, most of those bugs were on the small side. Many chicks dehydrated during our heatwave. I lost 9 chicks in 2 days during that time. Parents stopped feeding, probably because they couldn't find enough bugs.

Could this lack of bugs be due to global warming? Pesticides? Gas drilling, which is affecting the levels of the rivers/creeks, etc, where many bugs hatch out?

I even have Robins looking for any crickets the martins miss. We've had rain, but it's mostly been pouring/run off rain. Worms go deep when the ground gets dry. I saw a Robin try to feed a chick, only a week old, a red berry. The chick spit it out.

Toy in PA

[StillwaterMartins]

This is the first in since 2009 that we've had Purple Martins nesting at our site. We've had 6 SY purple martins hanging around but only 4 of them paired up. They each laid 5 eggs, and all 5 hatched. They are all just about to fledge. (Keeping fingers crossed.)

My question is actually regarding bugs. We've seen quite a few dragon flies, but we did have 1 day with all rain last week, and so far a few days with cloudy cooler than average weather (low 70's). What are the chances that are nestlings are going to all fledge and survive? Are there going to be enough bugs to feed everyone?

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding food for these little ones.

I'm pretty sure they are not all going to make it, but I would be pretty upset to find a few of them dead in the houses or around the area.

[Louise Chambers]

Low 70s should be okay for feeding UNLESS it's also rainy or windy. When you check nests, you can eyeball the nestlings and see if they look good. Skin on belly should not be dry and wrinkled up, it should be pink and filled out.

If in doubt, put some dead crickets or live mealworms on porches for the parents to use - mealworms need to go in small container so they can't crawl away, and the container needs to be fastened so it won't tip over.

Let us know how everything goes -

[StillwaterMartins]

Thanks Louise,

It's been pretty calm, and the nestlings close to fledging. We had one go this morning, and the other 10 are set to go over the next week. When we did the last nest check a week ago, they all looked fat, healthy and happy. Hopefully they will stay that way.

It is supposed be around 80 degrees and relatively sunny for the next week or more, so I think we are okay.

[Martin man RI]

Same thing here a few runts found on the ground 4. Tried to save but to
weak after being in the sun for hours. I look daily. The last of my birds will
fledge 08/09 happy to see the season end its very stressful at times.
It seems bug supply's are low from what ever the reason takes birds a while to find a bug and bring them back almost 40 mins. And we have had perfect weather and plenty of moisture. The loss of less than five chicks
not a big deal. I will enjoy the last ones.

Ray

[RJM]

My season was the complete opposite. Lots of bugs and only 1 loss. Final fledged last week. No global warming in my neck of the woods.

[Dennis D]

Toy you have conditioned your martins to eating what YOU provide. How would you know they would not eat crickets if they could find enough bugs on their own? I think you may be conditioning them to not be able to take care of themselves by feeding them when it is not needed.

[DebA]

Oh Dennis D, no no no. Supplementing doesn't condition them to not naturally hunt on their own. If it did they would sit there like fat couch potatoes and have no need to fly. Well maybe for a drink.

Out here in the Midwest we have had ample rain and bugs. Not so the past two summers. I would place a pile just like Louise said and I watched the adults feed and take them in to their young. It was over 100 for 30+ days consecutive and I also misted and ice packed cavities. I did not lose one baby. Had I not I would have.

This year my first birds arrived late March and April. We had three ice and snow storms after. I tried flipping and had success! It was one of the best experiences I have had with my birds. You really feel close to them. I felt guilty reading how others were so desperate to supplement feed and their birds just weren't getting the hang of it. Unfortunately several birds succumbed to conditions.

I am home and able to make it work for my birds. Some cannot. But I am just like Toy if I even think they need some help, I'm gonna do it. She is right when they are well fed they don't accept the supplementing. I have seen that happen as well. Waste of some good crickets.

Deb

[lynnh]

Due to chilly damp weather early this week my colony went through ten dozen eggs and several thousand crickets. Many of my HY birds are already trained to supplemental feed platform and or flipped. Lynn.

[DebA]

That is great, Lynn! I went out on cloudy rainy days a couple of times in the past week or so. Mostly to play on my part but to introduce SY's that weren't here in April and my HY's to flipping. They weren't rambunctious but a few caught. The others sure watched. I just want to keep them conditioned to feeding if a calamity happens. Plus again as I said...it's fun.
Deb

[~Ray~Gingerich]

I found some like that after a crop duster flew around spraying the corn fields

[Louise Chambers]

There have been many disease possibilities looked into in different areas- west nile virus, salmonella, avian pox, and others. The wet cool weather in many states may have played a role too, with stressed birds more vulnerable to problems. I hope we'll have more information later on.