do I need owl guards on Troyer horizontal?
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Peter C
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:16 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Farmington
- Martin Colony History: Rural area, only known colony in Fayette County, PA
Two wooden T-14s, each with four Troyer horizontal gourds, Conley II entrances
2017 26 pairs, 99 fledged
2016 21 pairs, 74 fledged
2015 15 pairs, 40 fledged
2014 9 pairs, 29 fledged
2013 8 pairs, 20 fledged
2012 1 pair, 4 fledged
2011 1 pair, 4 fledged
Has anyone experienced martin loss from owls on Troyer horizontal gourds? I have several , with Conley II entrances, and so far have not had guards on them. My gut feeling is that they are safe without guards, but would be interested in feedback. Thanks ! Peter
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tor
- Posts: 279
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:35 pm
- Location: Marlboro County, SC
- Martin Colony History: 2025 Capacity: 96
72 Hor / Vert Troyers on 3 X Super-24's.
24 Hor Troyers on Gemini-24.
2026: We'll see.
2025: 92 pair - Fledge: 405
2024: 72 pair - Fledge: 356
2023: 72 pair - Fledge: 342
2022: 72 pair - Fledge: 322
2021: 71 pair - Fledge: 325
2020: 72 pair - Fledge: 336
2019: 70 pair - Fledge: 320
2018: 60 pair - Fledge: 297
2017: 36 pair - Fledge: 189
2016: 16 pair - Fledge: 79
2015: 4 pair - Fledge: 21
Peter,
I don't have guards on my Troyers, horizontal or verticals. I don't have too much of an owl issue either though. But for any owl to be able to get anything out of a horizontal, it must have gone to contortionist classes. Not that it can't happen, but chances are an owl will snatch something out of a shallow compartment / gourd first. I have s sneaking feeling that an owl will probably sometimes be smart enough to rattle a gourd enough to where martins are flushed out of the gourd.
I don't have guards on my Troyers, horizontal or verticals. I don't have too much of an owl issue either though. But for any owl to be able to get anything out of a horizontal, it must have gone to contortionist classes. Not that it can't happen, but chances are an owl will snatch something out of a shallow compartment / gourd first. I have s sneaking feeling that an owl will probably sometimes be smart enough to rattle a gourd enough to where martins are flushed out of the gourd.
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Forum Admin
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- Location: Erie, PA
There have been enough landlord reports about owl predation to conclude that neither horizontal gourds or tunneled gourds are owl-proof. Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls seem to be pretty good at flushing martins from both houses and gourds of all kinds. The best protection is external guards and/or cages - and those will work best if installed before an owl has learned about raiding martin nests. Like insurance, it's best to have guards in place before you have problems. If an owl is unsuccessful the first time it tries for a meal, it is less likely to keep coming back.
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KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
Yes, I have.Peter C wrote:Has anyone experienced martin loss from owls on Troyer horizontal gourds? I have several , with Conley II entrances, and so far have not had guards on them. My gut feeling is that they are safe without guards, but would be interested in feedback. Thanks ! Peter
It's not that they try to reach in and pull them out, they try to either snag them off the porch, off the gourd arms, or grab the gourds to scare them out. If you don't have an owl problem, then just monitor. But since this happened, I put on full cages this year.
And, by the way, let the gourds swing - as you can see in the video, because the gourd swings, the owl is unable to keep his grasp on it and drops off...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12lQopYkRdk
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
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Peter C
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:16 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Farmington
- Martin Colony History: Rural area, only known colony in Fayette County, PA
Two wooden T-14s, each with four Troyer horizontal gourds, Conley II entrances
2017 26 pairs, 99 fledged
2016 21 pairs, 74 fledged
2015 15 pairs, 40 fledged
2014 9 pairs, 29 fledged
2013 8 pairs, 20 fledged
2012 1 pair, 4 fledged
2011 1 pair, 4 fledged
OK, thanks to all for the good advice, I will look in to some protection... good luck to all ! Peter