Martin feeding behavior.

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Cymbalariadave
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:40 am
Location: Barnesville, Ga

I understand that most, if not all, martin feeding is on airborne insects. Prior to nesting activity, I see martins flying quite high, often as high as 100 ft. I assume they are feeding. My question is, what are insects doing way up there? And what insects are they?
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GeneP
Posts: 525
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:35 am
Location: Kansas, Lawrence
Martin Colony History: 1 gourd rack with 24 gourd capacity. 2018, my 11th year hosting martins.
18 pair in 2017.

Purple Martins can fly much higher than 100 feet.

Here's a link about how high insects fly: http://news.wisc.edu/curiosities-how-high-can-bugs-fly/
PMCA Member, Single Gourd Rack, 2019 marks 12 years hosting martins.
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taxidermy lady
Posts: 2988
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:21 am
Location: IL/Ellis Grove
Martin Colony History: Started trying to attract purple martins in 2012! It's finally happened in 2017! 5 years!!! ASY male and SY female came May 1st, fledged 5 babies!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-QxfOYhpjro
Check this video out! Lots of bugs way up there!
Sharon from southern Illinois
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Cymbalariadave
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:40 am
Location: Barnesville, Ga

Thanks.
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GeneP
Posts: 525
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:35 am
Location: Kansas, Lawrence
Martin Colony History: 1 gourd rack with 24 gourd capacity. 2018, my 11th year hosting martins.
18 pair in 2017.

Yes, thank you Sharon. I remembered seeing that video but couldn't recall. Oh the fun of the aging process.
Must be a lot of dragonflies up there, that's what they feed the young the most in the last couple of weeks.

There's a good video on dragonflies but it's close to an hour long. A good thing to watch on a rainy laundry day. :grin:
PMCA Member, Single Gourd Rack, 2019 marks 12 years hosting martins.
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