sparrow and starling problem with new martin house
I live in Indiana and installed an 18 room house last year. had two scouts stop by in may then moved on. this year I added an 8 gourd pole. do I leave the plugs in the doors until martins first show then replug until they come back? the sparrows start their business the minute I open the holes. any help is appreciated.
-
John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Leave the housing open now that martins are visiting. The prospective females at new housing are pretty picky and maybe would not return if the doors were blocked.
A sparrow pair attempting to nest there may not keep you from initially attracting martins, but you'll need to control the sparrows to have a healthy martin colony. The sparrows will reduce the nesting success of any martins -- half the martin eggs may end up pecked and tossed out -- and sparrows attract more sparrows and eventually may overrun the house and cause martin abandonment.
There are many traps available. One good one this time of year when sparrows are building is this one:
http://shop.purplemartin.org/Wire_Sparr ... tails.aspx
it can be baited with old nest material, feathers, or I have used strips of tissue paper and you will catch the sparrows in a few hours minimum. But you must be home if the trap is set and monitor for native birds.
John
A sparrow pair attempting to nest there may not keep you from initially attracting martins, but you'll need to control the sparrows to have a healthy martin colony. The sparrows will reduce the nesting success of any martins -- half the martin eggs may end up pecked and tossed out -- and sparrows attract more sparrows and eventually may overrun the house and cause martin abandonment.
There are many traps available. One good one this time of year when sparrows are building is this one:
http://shop.purplemartin.org/Wire_Sparr ... tails.aspx
it can be baited with old nest material, feathers, or I have used strips of tissue paper and you will catch the sparrows in a few hours minimum. But you must be home if the trap is set and monitor for native birds.
John