Adding tunnels to super gourd question

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JameyS
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2015 5:36 pm
Location: TX/ Dallas, Del Rio, Whitney

So I am adding the troyer tunnels to my super gourds and one of the steps is to increase the size of the hole in the super gourd. My question is does anyone know why this would be necessary?
It seems to me that if the martins can get into the super gourd hole without the tunnel added then they can get into the gourd with hole the same size Any thoughts on this?
Lake Amistad - Nine Pioneer houses / double roomed w/Two Super Gourds on each house Owl guards and pole guards. 72 total nesting cavities

Lake Whitney - Three houses all double roomed 32 nesting cavities
Emil Pampell-Tx
Posts: 6743
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas

I think its usually not done because its too difficult for the martins to enter (squeezing thru two entrances), so they will usually choose another gourd first. Then also at feeding time for the babies there may be problems with some babies being in the gourd, some in the tunnel, and some on the porch. I would not do that personally, but I never have tried it.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
sugarcreek
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:43 am
Location: Sugarcreek, Ohio
Martin Colony History: 2016 First Yr.

I took a Saber saw and cut the holes to around 3" and installed the tunnels on my gourds and it worked great, did not want martins to have to get nesting material through 2 different holes.
16 - 14 Cavities 4 Act. Ne 9 fledged, 2.25 Fl. per Act. Ne
17 - 36 Cavities 18 Act. Ne 65 Fledged, 3.61 Fl. per Act. Ne
18 - 54 Cavities 43 Act. Ne 169 Fledged, 3.93 Fl. per Act. Ne
19 - 108 Cavities 67 Act. Ne 209 Fledged, 3.12 Fl. per Act. Ne
20 - 108 Cavities 72 Act. Ne 243 Fledged, 3.38 Fl. per Act. Ne
21 - 112 Cavities 91 Act. Ne 313 Fledged, 3.44 Fl. per Act. Ne
22 - 114 Cavities 101 Act Ne 355 Fledged, 3.51 Fl. per Act. Ne
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