Martins choosing gourds over houses and castles

Markansas · Sun Apr 02, 2023 2:49 pm

I started my colony with a 24 hole castle. I then added 12 hours rack and then added 24 gourd rack. Over the last few years they have gradually migrating to the gourds. Last season every gourd had a next while only 2 apartments had a nest. Additionally I know of two old colonies nearby that that have nothing but castles and they have almost no martins anymore. Has anyone else noticed this trend? It seems like the martins are just choosing gourds

C.C.Martins · Sun Apr 02, 2023 5:35 pm

well they will be more comfortable in those gourds that is sure. we have a mini castle and 2 12 unit good racks right next to it. they seem to like the gourds more...house is full though, all 6 units taken, I think its the expanded rooms and the troyer tunnels on the castle.
You will like those gourds a bunch.

Constant patrol · Sun Apr 02, 2023 9:26 pm

I have several homemade wood houses. They are two family houses with an entrance at each end.
They have a metal cover to shade the compartments. The houses are very heavy and are not feesible for
most colonies. But, they are filled before the gourds on the same pole. I dont't think the martins
like to have their entrances real close to each other and they go to where they were most successful.
I think most commercial houses are subject to wet nests and extreme compartment temperatures.

Spiderman · Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:49 am

I had wooden houses I made and then purchased gourds and gourd racks.

The martins all moved to the gourds and left the old wooden houses empty.

The gourds have more room and the number of eggs/fledglings are higher.

Also the horizontal gourds offer more protection from hawks and owls. Often when we have a hawk attack the Martins go inside the gourds instead of flushing to the air and being vulnerable to the hawk.

I took the wooden houses down and repurposed the poles with decoys.