Shared species gourd rack?

[mrigney]

I've posted about tree Swallows already a couple of times. New to martins (well, as an adult. My parents had a colony when I was a kid). We have both a house (from my parents) and a pole with 8 gourds. Was having problems with tree Swallows, so closed up the gourds (they weren't interested in the house). They seemed to move on to a bluebird house I have nearby.

Last week, I had a couple yearling/sub adult martins show up. So, I opened up the gourds. Within 24 hours, the tree Swallows had shown back up at the gourds. But....the martins have stick around as well. It now looks like I have swallows in one gourd, and martins in another gourd. I've seen the martins going in and out and have seen them basically daily for the last week.

What should I do here? Take down the gourd with the swallows in it down? Leave it?

[birdman in buckhead]

If it was me, I'd let the swallows occupy the gourd since there are other vacant gourds and house compartments for martins to use if any show up. At this point in the season and considering your location, chances are no more martins will arrive this year. However, if the SY martins you have successfully breed and hatchlings fledge, the parent birds will be back next year and possibly attract more martins and start a colony. Good luck!

[randyM]

I've had tree swallows nest in gourds hanging right below a wooden house occupied by martins two of the past 4 years at my colony. The two species can coexist in shared housing, especially if the tree swallows are not super aggressive towards matins vising your site. Once martins establish themselves at a site, they will put the tree swallows in their place! If the swallows are not constantly harassing the martins visiting your site things should be okay.

Randy

[CTMartins]

I too have tree swallows and was wondering the same. It's nice to least have someone using the pole I put up.

[flyin-lowe]

Good advice above. The TS themselves are not a threat to your martins if they are not scaring them off. That is the biggest issue...Young martins with no site fidelity check out a new location and the TS harass them enough that they leave.