How Well do Martins Take to Houses when they are Used to Gourds?

[MorganW_AL]

We have used gourds for 20 years or more with success. However, I have always liked the looks of a well-made house. What makes me balk at actually building a house is the doubt of it being used. Those with experience, how readily did your birds take to houses when they were accustomed to gourds? I suspect it could be a multi-year deal in getting them to take to a house. This year, I am at capacity on two racks, and will probably expand in the next year or two whether it be another gourd rack or a house.

[C.C.Martins]

I think that your house would fill up quick theyll accept it just fine. My experience was house first then i presented gourds. Both were available, but the martins were used to the house. When they realised the gourds were there they started to gravitate to them quickly. All were at capacity.

[Brad Biddle]

I put up a Trio Castle at my house 15 years ago. I already had 73 gourds hanging on 3 gourd racks. I hung 3 gourds under the Trio Castle. At the end of the season I had 75 nests. Nary a one of them was in that Trio even though I enlarged the rooms before putting it up. If you want to try it, I still have it. I'll take $150 cash for it. You can pick it up at my house or at my business in Albertville.

[flyin-lowe]

The returning martins that were at your site this year might not all use it but any SY's that show up at your place may or may not have been raised in a house V gourds. Remember a lot of the ones born at your place this year will go somewhere else next year and the new SY you get will be from another colony.

[Steve Kroenke]

I have mainly used a combination of gourds and houses at all my purple martin colonies in both north Florida where I previously lived and now in northwest Louisiana. I did notice that martins seemed to prefer gourds over houses or maybe more martins were able to colonize the gourd racks in larger numbers because nest domination issues tend to be minimized with gourds. However, I had martins nesting in both cavity types.

At my boyhood martin colony back in the mid-60s, I did start off with all houses, wooden and Trio aluminum. When I added natural gourds in later seasons, the martins readily accepted the gourds and in fact I had greater occupancy levels in the gourds. So my martins were originally nesting in all houses for several years and then were given a choice with gourds and they accepted. So had martins nesting in both houses and gourds.

In your area do you see many martin houses with martins nesting in them? If so, then that is a possible plus that martins would colonize a house in your gourd colony.

For 2020 I am replacing my 4 Trendsetters with gourd racks and going totally gourds. The Trendsetters are high quality houses and well occupied each season by martins. But I have always preferred gourds over houses so going back to gourds completely!

[MorganW_AL]

Brad,
You're not the first person from our area who I have heard had that issue. I'm from near Huntsville, but out in the country.
Steve,
I think we have a lot more gourds compared to houses around here. Of course, that is just from what I have seen when out riding. I will have to make it a point to take note of it.

[Spiderman]

I'm transitioning from wooden houses to Gourds. The Martins have changed to the gourds without any issues. The remaining houses have minimal birds nesting in them.

The gourds are just so much bigger and the Martins are laying more eggs per nest. They stay drier during rain storms and the ventilation is so much better. As Steve mentioned they can't dominate multiple gourds so you end up with more pairs living in harmony.

[G Saner]

Years ago, I had a Trio castle and later added gourds. The first year, the martins ignored the gourds. Year by year, the martins migrated to the gourds over the house. My belief is this happened as the young martins nested in the gourds and the older birds in the house died off. I eventually switched to all gourds because of the higher occupancy rate.

However, I now have two mentees that live a few miles from each other. Both offer gourds and a house. At one, the martins nest in the house and not the gourds and at the other the exact opposite. Go figure.

[Kyler]

I have offered both for the past 5 years and for some reason I can’t get them in the gourds. Every year there’s maybe 1 or 2 pair in them but that’s it. I personally like the gourds better but I guess I will continue to put up what they like. I’m the only landlord that offers gourds in my town so that might be the issue.

Kyler,