STARLINGS
I have a problem with starlings. I put up a gourd rack this season with Troyer gourds with Connely II entrances. Starlings get in these with no problem. Thought it was supposed to be the other way around. Any suggestions ?
Hi Sluggo.
Sounds like the "Lewis" modification may be the way to go.
Check out this thread:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27340
Sounds like the "Lewis" modification may be the way to go.
Check out this thread:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27340
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birdy girl
- Posts: 1179
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
- Location: Mississippi/Dumas
Shoot them if you live in country area. We have constructed a shoot house that we sit in when they are coming around peeping into nest cavities. You can get some scrap sentra pieces (from a sign store, that makes signs) glue a piece on top of porch to make totally flush between porch and bottom of entrance. As far as I know, we have never had any starling enter our Troyers with tunnel/connely II entrance.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Raising the porches up level with bottom of the entrance is the easiest fix I know of - adding wing guards is getting good results too.
Edit: Here is link to WEP, the wing guards. One per pkg. http://shop.purplemartin.org/Wing_Entra ... tails.aspx
Edit: Here is link to WEP, the wing guards. One per pkg. http://shop.purplemartin.org/Wing_Entra ... tails.aspx
Last edited by Louise Chambers on Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Doing both should hopefully nail the problem.SLUGGO wrote:So I should put the half rings on the entrances and raise the porches up,or should I try one or the other ?
Some folks have had success with just raising the porches.
In that thread I posted above from James Rieman, he found that on his T-14, raising the porches alone did not stop the starlings.
Once he added the PMCA wing entrapment guards, the starlings could not get in any longer.
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4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
Sluggo,
Raising the porch is the first and after you get the wing guards, then install the wing guards on.
I only feel secure with both in place.
Lewis has worked out the details that both are required to really feel secure that you are excluding the starlings.
As you and I know, starlings are endemic here.
I have seen flocks of them numbering over 100 and possibly up to 200 within 1 mile of my martin house.
Mark.
Raising the porch is the first and after you get the wing guards, then install the wing guards on.
I only feel secure with both in place.
Lewis has worked out the details that both are required to really feel secure that you are excluding the starlings.
As you and I know, starlings are endemic here.
I have seen flocks of them numbering over 100 and possibly up to 200 within 1 mile of my martin house.
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
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4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
Sluggo,
Do you have martins yet?
How many Troyer gourds with Conley II entrances do you have?
Mark.
Do you have martins yet?
How many Troyer gourds with Conley II entrances do you have?
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... lewis+sreh
Slugo,
Go to the above link and there is a photo and description if you scroll down to Mark's post.( tip). use a counter sink drill bit to pre drill the PMCA wing guards that come with ss screws. Make sure the material you use to raise the porch does not cover the dip in the ConleyII. Also, make sure the guard does not cover the upper edge of the Conley II. I have this modification on all 20 of my THG's and I have about 40 martins and they enter and exit with no problems.
I have trapped 4 starlings this year in my PMCA nest box trap. I have seen no starlings try to enter my gourds or houses. There is a horse stable across the road from me and they have hundreds of starlings. I hope the word is out over there that when they cross the road to my place they don't return.
Lewis
Slugo,
Go to the above link and there is a photo and description if you scroll down to Mark's post.( tip). use a counter sink drill bit to pre drill the PMCA wing guards that come with ss screws. Make sure the material you use to raise the porch does not cover the dip in the ConleyII. Also, make sure the guard does not cover the upper edge of the Conley II. I have this modification on all 20 of my THG's and I have about 40 martins and they enter and exit with no problems.
I have trapped 4 starlings this year in my PMCA nest box trap. I have seen no starlings try to enter my gourds or houses. There is a horse stable across the road from me and they have hundreds of starlings. I hope the word is out over there that when they cross the road to my place they don't return.
Lewis
Spring Garden Keeper
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4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
Sluggo,
Please check your private message.
I need to communicate with you.
You are only 35 mins by I-269.
Mark.
Please check your private message.
I need to communicate with you.
You are only 35 mins by I-269.
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.