First Year Success Survey. How Many Pair?

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Bird Brain
Posts: 338
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:22 am
Location: Highland Village, TX
Martin Colony History: 2022-visitors, 2023-visitors, 2024-1 pair, fledged 4, 2025-10 pair, fledged 42, 2026-17 pair, fledged 81

I saw the "SY or ASY founder" survey and I was surprised by the results so far. I would like to know how many pair did landlords get their first year of successful nesters.
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Whippy
Posts: 1023
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:15 pm
Location: Plano, Texas
Martin Colony History: See Signature

My first year with residents was one pair.

2nd year 2 pair
3rd year 4 pair
4th year - ?

Coolwhips
2016 - many visitors
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

first year had 5 pair.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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PMDavid
Posts: 534
Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 8:50 pm
Location: Boyce,Louisiana
Martin Colony History: 2018 1 lone nut and lots of visitors
2019 6 pair -21fledged
2020 18 pair -60 fledged
2021......to be seen.
24 natural gourds on a satellite rack,9 other gourds scattered around
2-12 compartment trio houses
Rarely see a sparrow or starling,but when I do they don’t last long!
Will have a second satellite rack for the 2022 season and phase out the houses,the martins here strongly prefer natural gourds.

First year = 1 lone bird AKA the “nut”
Second year = 7 pr.
This being the 3rd year hope to see increase or at least maintain the same.
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deancamp
Posts: 873
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 9:17 pm
Location: Raymore, MO

After more tha 10 years of trying, I had 6pair the first year they nested.
Jeff
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SMJohnson
Posts: 150
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 11:06 am
Location: IA/Ottumwa

1st 13
2cd 52
3rd 65
2012-13 pair..........2019-102 pair
2013-52 pair..........2020-109 pair
2014-65 pair..........2021-144 pair
2015-85 pair..........2022-156 pair
2016-80 pair..........2023-174 pair
2017-93 pair..........2024- 193 pair
2018- 87 pair..........2025- ? pair

2021 Offering 180 Nesting Cavities
64 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
64 Troyer Vertical Gourds
2 T14'S - 28 Compartments
3 SMJ8'S - 24 Compartments
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Badger
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:37 pm
Location: Shenandoah Valley VA
Martin Colony History: Martin landlord since 2016. 48 super gourds all with crescent openings and porches.

I had 4 pair to nest my first year. I had 10 adults total. The 2nd and third year I had 40 adults and 26 pair to nest. About 110 to survive and fledged. If the Martin's like your set up the colony can grow rapid.
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Dave Duit
Posts: 2146
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
Location: Iowa / Nevada
Martin Colony History: In 2026, 88 pair with 333 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.

1st year = one pair
today = 54 pair
ImageMite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
ImageIPMO LOGO1.jpg
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flyin-lowe
Posts: 3792
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
Location: Indiana/Henry Co.

At my original colony I had a lone SY male stay one season and did not attract a mate. The next year he returned and paired up and attracted for additional SY pair ( 5 pair total). At my second (current) colony I had a couple times on and off with one pair then nothing the next. Both places it was 5 years before I ended up with an established sustainable colony.
2026 HOSP 29
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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Brad Biddle
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 6:22 pm
Location: Marshall County AL

At current colony 4 pair
At old house one pair then none the 2nd year
Martin landlord since 2003. Currently offering 162 plastic gourds with tunnels, all with Conley II entrances with the Lewis modification. I have 24 Supergourds and the rest are Troyer Horizontals.
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jhcox
Posts: 804
Joined: Thu May 26, 2016 9:23 am
Location: tennesse
Martin Colony History: Started colony in 2014. 0 pairs
2015 0 pairs
2016 0 pairs
2017 0 pairs but visitors
2018 1 pair fledged 5
2019 10 pair
2020 25 pair
2021 42 Pair
2022 60 Pair
2023 72 Pair
2024 74 pair
2025 78 pair

First year had one adult stay all summer and never found a mate. Second year he found a mate fledged five. Third year had 10 pair hope that it goes up again this year.
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randyM
Posts: 254
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:30 pm
Location: Long Lake SD
Martin Colony History: * 2016 - 1 pair (ASYM + SYF) 2/3 eggs hatched 2 young fledged.
* 2017 - 4 pairs, 16/17 eggs hatched, 16 fledged, 16 banded - 2 banded SY returned in 2018 (12.5%)
* 2018 - 10 pairs, 46/52 eggs hatched, 45 fledged, 29 young banded - 3 banded SY returned in 2019 (10.3%)
*2019 - 32 pairs, 145/160 eggs hatched, 139 fledged - 87 young banded - 12 banded SY returned in 2020 (13.8%).
* 2020 - 35 pairs, 180/199 eggs hatched, 178 fledged - 150 young banded & 42 SY returned (28.0%)
* 2021 - 89 pairs, 363/446 eggs hatched, 355 fledged - 150 young banded & 19 SY returned (12.7%)
*2022 - 116 pairs, 495/579 eggs hatched, 471 fledged - 150 young banded & 27 SY returned (18.0%)
*2023 - 160 pairs, 708/828 eggs hatched, 572 fledged - 150 young banded & 38 SY returned (25.3%)
*2024 - 235 pairs, 950/1153 eggs hatched, 865 fledged - 100 young banded & 18 SY returned (18.0%)
*2025 - 200 pairs, 795/953 eggs hatched, 739 fledged - 200 young banded

1 ASY/SY pair in 2006
0 pair 2007-2016
1 ASY/SY pair in 2016
4 pair in 2017
10 pair in 2018
32 pair in 2019
Hoping for 50 pair in 2020
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Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2444
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

... My first year was last year... 1 pair...
.... But I had 15 pair the first year at my satellite site..

Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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ShawnK
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 7:58 am
Location: IN/Owensville

My first year I had 14 pair. They must been have been displaced or I'm in a flight path. I don't know but I was astounded.
2013 - 0
2014 - 0 Some lookers but no takers
2015 - three males attempted attracting a mate 1 ASY and 2 SY
2016 - became a landlord with 14 pair
2017 - 36 pr
2018 - 52 pr
2019 - 54 pr
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Black Jack
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 4:37 pm
Location: NC

1 PR of SY
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EarlG
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:36 pm
Location: Lindale, TX

First year 2013, 1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 Fledged.
2025 32 Pr 164 Eggs 141 Hatched 135 Fledged
2024 30 Pr 163 Eggs 151 Hatched 138 Fledged
2023 25 Pr 131 E 126 H 125 F
2022 24 Pr 134 E 127 H 123 F
2021 24 Pr 136 E 121 H 108 F
2020 24 Pr 126 E 114 H 112 F
2019 24 Pr 130 E 102 H 83 F
2018 20 Pr 121 Eggs 87 Hatched 86 Fledged
2017 16 Pr 93 Eggs 87 Hatched 86 Fledged
2016 23 Pr 122 Eggs107 Hatched 101 Fledged
2015 16 Pr 82 Eggs 70 Hatched 68 Fledged
2014 11 Pr 38 Fledged
2013 1 Pair 5 Fledged
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detioh11
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:24 pm
Location: St Johns, MI
Martin Colony History: 2015 A few Visitors
2016 1 ASY pair 4 eggs 4 Fledged
2017 ASY male returned chased off by starlings
2018 1 pair fledged 5
2019 3 Pair with nestlings and an ASY male bachelor and 2 SY males around all the time fledged 16

1 pair first year
0 pair second year
1 pair third year
3 pair fourth year.
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cary-nw-fla
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:27 pm
Location: Holt, Florida

Put up my first housing in 2010. Lookers till 2012 when I had 8 pair.
2010/2011: 0 / 2012: 8 Pair / 2013: 22 Pair / 2014: 35 Pair / 2015: 39 Pair / 2016: 73 Pair / 2017: 94 Pair
Cary
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Joe W
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:04 am
Location: FL/Lynn Haven (near Panama City, FL)
Martin Colony History: 2020 10 pairs
2019 finally success! 8 pairs
Oct 10, 2018 Hurricane Michael
2018 visitors in April
2017 visitors in April
2016 visitors in April
2015 visitors in June
PMCA Member

Northwest Florida. First year was last year (2019), had 8 pair. This after 4 straight years of trying. So far this year there are 3 pair and nest building has started. Hoping for more, first arrivals were two weeks ago.
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