Tree Swallows (again)

mrigney · Fri Apr 22, 2022 11:46 am

I posted about this a few weeks ago...we had swallows approach our new gourds (first time trying to attract martins). We have been attempting to keep them away, clean out any nests they start, etc. I haven't seen them around as much recently.

Just this morning we had our first Martin sighting at the house and gourds...and the swallows, too. Not surprisingly the swallows are attempting to chase off the martins.

How do I handle this? Would hate to see the martins chased off, and have tried hard to keep the swallows away.

Daryl Lindstrom - MN · Fri Apr 22, 2022 12:31 pm

PUMA_TS_BB Setup.jpg: (60.04 KiB) Not downloaded yet

flyin-lowe · Fri Apr 22, 2022 12:41 pm

Here is the theory behind the picture posted above. Tree swallows usually don't nest in colonies like martins do and will protect the immediate area around their nest from other tree swallows. The best thing to do is to set up a gourd on a shepherds hook around 30 feet from your martin house. Once the tree swallows start nesting in it they won't allow other tree swallows close by but the will tolerate the martins. Typically tree swallows arrive before martins in most parts of the country so you can do this and they will establish a "home" before the martins arrive.

The problem you have is now you have martins and tree swallows arriving at the same time. If the martin is determined enough to stick around for a few days despite the the TS I would leave your housing open. If you have only seen a martin a time or two and they are just dropping by and not showing interest in staying at your place I would block the martin house entrance off and only keep the TS gourd open. The TS will should take to it pretty quickly.

I live in an area that has a very high TS population and they were more of a problem then HOSP, starlings, etc. The good news is once you get a colony started the martins will not give in to the tree swallows.

Here is a more in depth look....
https://www.purplemartin.org/uploads/me ... cy-377.pdf

Birdiegirl · Fri Apr 22, 2022 12:56 pm

Hi MRigney,

I too am trying to establish a martin colony. In my area, tree swallows return about the same time martin scouts do. Having plenty of other nest boxes up for other species is a good strategy. I tried the very techniques that DLindstrom and Flyin-lowe posted about. It absolutely works! In fact, the tree swallows have become nice defenders of the area- against other tree swallows, bluebirds, and today- kingbirds. I have not seen the tree swallows interact much with the martins this year. I have one pair of martins and daily visitors.

Good luck to you in building your colony!

mrigney · Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:28 pm

Thanks! I'll take a gourd down and put it in the setup shown.

Maybe a dumb question....best way to block the entrances to my gourds and house?

Birdiegirl · Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:41 pm

Sometimes the gourd and house manufacturers sell entrance covers. Though not as pretty, I just used a pool noodle from the Dollar Store. I cut sections about 1" thick, and the rounded shape squished nicely into the SREH. Was even able to find a purple pool noodle

I can send pictures when I get home if that would be helpful.

flyin-lowe · Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:34 pm

I usually use a roll of the blue painters tape to block off entrances of my gourds. It will stick to them but but will peal off once you are ready to open them.

Dave Reynolds · Sat Apr 23, 2022 7:32 am

Birdiegirl wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:41 pm
Sometimes the gourd and house manufacturers sell entrance covers. Though not as pretty, I just used a pool noodle from the Dollar Store. I cut sections about 1" thick, and the rounded shape squished nicely into the SREH. Was even able to find a purple pool noodle I can send pictures when I get home if that would be helpful.

..
.
.. Birdiegirl ... Good advice to all ,, I use the pool noodles also... I had my housing all plugged when the first martin arrived.. He just sit there until I lowered the rack and unplug his gourd.. I didn't have any trouble with the Tree Swallows this year... Must have been that the houses were plugged and they could not get in when they (Tree Swallows) arrived.

Dave

Birdiegirl · Sat Apr 23, 2022 12:08 pm

Dave- I sure can’t claim the pool noodle advice as my own! I learned it here on the forum- perhaps from you!

But I can attest that they really do work!

randyM · Sat Apr 23, 2022 12:29 pm

I have round holes for my colony nesting cavities. When I need to block entrances, I found that small (3-4oz) Dixie cups fit in the holes perfectly and block the entrances completely.

I also had difficulties with tree swallows chasing off martins when I was trying to establish a colony. No swallows attempted to nest in the martin housing, but would still harass any martin that would stop by. I finally had a martin stay that wasn't intimidated by the swallows. After 3-4 days the swallows accepted the martin's presence. I now have 8 swallow boxes with 50 yards of my martin colony and they get along well. I even had a pair of tree swallows nest in a gourd hanging a foot below a martin house having 10 nesting martin pairs. Once your colony is established these bird species coexist just fine.

mrigney · Sun Apr 24, 2022 8:35 am

Thanks for all this feedback!

I did close up 7 of 8 of my gourds. Took the one that the swallows had nested in and moved it. The Martin has now been at the old house (next to my gourds, given to us by my parents since they weren't using it anymore), so I left the house open (the swallows have shown no interest). I believe I saw a male/female Martin pair flying this morning (previously had only seen a male), so hoping this is a good sign that they might stick around.

Ryan · Tue Apr 26, 2022 6:13 am

Once you get a pair of tree swallows in their own box or gourd, facing the martin house, and placed about 30 feet from the pole, they'll keep other tree swallows off your martin housing.

It's amazing how it works. My tree swallows come back each year and don't even look at the empty martin housing, they just go straight to their designated box for the season.

Pool noodles work for plugging holes. Pipe insulation works great too as it's the right size. I just chop it up into 1" pieces and it fits right in the SREH.

If you aren't successful pulling the tree swallows to their designated box right away and you don't want to have your martin housing closed for long, take some thin white plastic from a food container or something and cut an oval shape out of it that reflects the similar size of the white breast of the tree swallow. Take that and hang it down a foot or so from the bottom if your tree swallow house using fishing line. Tree swallows are attracted to the white flash as the plastic blows and twists in the wind. Sounds crazy bit it works and should help land a pair.