Is it important to build "pre-nests" prior to arrival?

[Peter C]

I am interested in any thoughts on whether it is advantageous to provide a handful of nesting material in each compartment prior to the martins arrival in spring. So far I have cleaned out the compartments in fall, and just let them build their own nests the next spring with no material provided by me in the cavities. ( and of course I do nest replacements, using white pine needles ).
Is it a help to build a base nest for them with pine needles or cedar shaving to give them a head start? any thoughts welcome,

thanks, Peter

[warbird]

Everything I read said to use pine needles or wheat straw just a hand full i tried it one year and pm's removed it [pine needles] so now I throw wheat straw cut up on my garden and they build their own. I think most people add pine

[Martinear]

Last year (my first in many years), I just put up the bare plastic THG and they built their nests, no problem...all gourds occupied. This year, I left the mud base to the nests and removed the loose stuff. Added 6 more bare plastic gourds and again, no problems...all occupied and a few currently fledging. I think if they like the site and what you have to offer, it doesn't matter much if you pre-load the nest.

[Ed Svetich-WI]

It seems that you have answered your own question. You do not provide a base and your martins do not mind. For those still trying to attract their first martins, building nests, smearing some mud and giving the cavity the appearance of previous use has been shown to encourage investigating martins to take up residence. Additionally, SY martins sometimes build minimal nests with the result that eggs are essentially layed on a bare surface. A pre- built nest may help protect eggs with an inexperienced SY pair of martins.

I provide a substantial amount of pine straw every spring before the martins return. It may give them a head start and also allow them to expend less energy constructing a nest from scratch. I have not had any martins remove the nesting material.

A pre-built nest may also offer some insulation when spring temperatures drop and the martins take shelter. A bare surface would not do so.

Ed

[ToyinPA]

I would say it depends on location. In the northern states the Martins often arrive during cold wet weather. A pre-nest made of cedar shavings & dried white pine needles will help them to preserve energy & stay dry.

Some martins keep the pre-nesting materials while others may push them out. My colony usually adds to it, via twigs & wheat-straw I lay out for them. Some use twigs from local bushes and dried grasses & leaves.

Toy in PA

[tonyg]

I agree with everything Ed said....

[jaytee]

I've never added any nesting material to any of my gourds or my aluminum houses and I've had PM's now for over 15 years.

[James Strickland FL]

I pre-nest every year because I do not like for my martins to be on the ground due to predators being able to go after them while they are gathering material. It also gives them something to sleep on when they arrive and it is cool here not cold and the houses or gourds could be cold at night. Remember that bird generate heat from eating bugs and if it cold in the nest they will loss heat. If it is cold rain they will not be able to go out and hunt and the cold housing could make them use up more energy. When martins arrive they do not start building nest for weeks.