Why the fighting?
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DML
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 7:39 pm
- Location: Gallia, OHIO
- Martin Colony History: First year
3 weeks now I have seen females fighting and not allowing entry into gord. Tonight I noticed one had a very dark purple on it. Kinda looked like a blue jay in size. But I don’t think it was a blue jay. My second year and need so advice.
2020 one pair, 3 eggs & 3 fledge
Sounds like an SY male might be trying to access a compartment. I see it here too. They resemble females but have purple blotches on the underside. A sure way to tell is when they vocalize. They will make the clicking sound as the males do. Trouble makers...
. Interested in hearing other responses.
Brent
. Interested in hearing other responses.Brent
Brent
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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
Yep, sounds like a sub adult male. There is outside pressure from others who want the cavity, the residents typically go in and guard the entrance. Subbies are persistent but can pose a problem when chick's arrive, its especially hard to watch during fledged time as they put lots of pressure on the chick's when they try to return. Not anything you can do. Sometimes its a second year bird, still let martins be martins. Your nest checks will let you know when there are problems.
The good news is that as my mentor once said "right now they are playing their game, when they return as ASY, they will be playing your game".
Have about 25 subbies here, (way too many in my view) they are all vying for a cavity and when the residents go off during the day they "play house" and go in and out until the older birds come back and the fights begin. At dusk the real fights start for a cavity. Again, not much to do about it, let martins be martins.
Tom
The good news is that as my mentor once said "right now they are playing their game, when they return as ASY, they will be playing your game".
Have about 25 subbies here, (way too many in my view) they are all vying for a cavity and when the residents go off during the day they "play house" and go in and out until the older birds come back and the fights begin. At dusk the real fights start for a cavity. Again, not much to do about it, let martins be martins.
Tom
Last edited by C.C.Martins on Mon May 03, 2021 9:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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dsonyay
- Posts: 1677
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Broussard
- Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.
2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)
2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.
2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged
2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(
2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go.
2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.
This year I’ve got quite a few SY males.. 5 SY males and 4 ASY males. I probably have one or two SY females as well, but I don’t usually try to ID them.
I’m surprised to not see much fighting this year... maybe because they’re all paired up and content. Lol. Usually the fighting seems to be when an SY male arrives “stag” and tries to break up the happy families.
Yeah,, just let nature be nature. Nothing you can do. If possible.. check your compartment each day. Look out for a pair trapped inside. Sometimes a fight will occur in the compartment and one will get a wing tangled up on the inside entrance. You could end up with two dead martins if not cleared.
Take care
I’m surprised to not see much fighting this year... maybe because they’re all paired up and content. Lol. Usually the fighting seems to be when an SY male arrives “stag” and tries to break up the happy families.
Yeah,, just let nature be nature. Nothing you can do. If possible.. check your compartment each day. Look out for a pair trapped inside. Sometimes a fight will occur in the compartment and one will get a wing tangled up on the inside entrance. You could end up with two dead martins if not cleared.
Take care
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DML
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 7:39 pm
- Location: Gallia, OHIO
- Martin Colony History: First year
Thank you for the responses. I need some advice. I am in my second year. I just now completed my weekly nest check. I found two nests being started, just a few pieces of grass and a brown leaf or two, very minor. i left it alone. I have two pair of martins that stay close, even at nest check.
I have not seen any sparrows around the gourds for a while. I have killed three and thrown out two nests. They were full of grass and other stuff.
I have not seen any sparrows around the gourds for a while. I have killed three and thrown out two nests. They were full of grass and other stuff.
2020 one pair, 3 eggs & 3 fledge
Could be, but they will need to continue adding to that for their nest. They will use all kinds of different materials leaves, weed stems, straw, small twigs, maple seeds, etc.. They will make a small bowl in the back of the nest where they will lay their eggs. That being said I have seen material like you are seeing brought in and the nest never completed. I believe it was a pair claiming more than 1 gourd. Keep checking and watch for additional material.
Jeff
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Cloudwalker
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 1:52 pm
- Location: Carroll, Iowa
- Martin Colony History: I have had Martins for for about 34 years. I moved so I had to reestablish a colony. I did not keep good records but have fledged many birds over the years. I am passionate about Martins and love sharing and helping others enthusiasts!
DML It sounded to me like you were wanting advise on recognizing what type of bird it was. Of course a blue jay is an obvious difference and size comment made me think of starlings. Starlings are black with a yellow beak and have tried to nest at one time in my house. PMCA has some great information sheets you can get to help in identification of adult birds and second year birds and the young. Check out in Shop area. There is also some free information that is just educational.
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Cloudwalker
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 1:52 pm
- Location: Carroll, Iowa
- Martin Colony History: I have had Martins for for about 34 years. I moved so I had to reestablish a colony. I did not keep good records but have fledged many birds over the years. I am passionate about Martins and love sharing and helping others enthusiasts!
DML It sounded to me like you were wanting advise on recognizing what type of bird it was. Of course a blue jay is an obvious difference and size comment made me think of starlings. Starlings are black with a yellow beak and have tried to nest at one time in my house. PMCA has some great information sheets you can get to help in identification of adult birds and second year birds and the young. Check out in Shop area. There is also some free information that is just educational.