Trying to attract Martins to a new location. For the last 3 years, I've used both the Dawnsong CD and the Song Bird Magnet (at different times) with no luck. I hosted 56 pair of Purple Martins at our previous home for a number of years. We moved 4 miles down the road and have not seen or heard a single Martin. I offer Troyer gourds, Chripy nest boxes, and an aluminum house.
All that being said, which do you prefer to attract Martins to a new site? I'm hoping this is our year.
Dawnsong vs Song Bird Magnet
Is your previous colony still at your previous house 4 miles away? I would think that would be odd, some wouldn't come to at least investigate. I think either of those two options will work as they both play the dawn song. I started mine with the song bird magnet because it was weatherproof and worked at my location. I thought the audio quality was inferior, but it did work.
Jeff
-
flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
I had a thriving colony years ago and moved about 7 miles away. The new owners of my old place didn't want t he housing up so they were all displaced the following spring. I though I might have some end up at my new place as there were some ASY's that stuck around for a couple days and then left. it took about 5 years to get established again. Further north where I am, 5 years or more is not uncommon as we don't have the populations some parts of the south do. So three years would not be unheard of to not get started back up, not sure what the "average" time is in your neck of the woods to get a colony started.
Back when the song bird magnet was new it had some bad reviews due to longevity issues from weather exposure, so I never tried it. I always used the CD, but many people use it so I don't think one would make a difference over the other.
Back when the song bird magnet was new it had some bad reviews due to longevity issues from weather exposure, so I never tried it. I always used the CD, but many people use it so I don't think one would make a difference over the other.
2026 HOSP 26
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.
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.
-
LoneOakMartin
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2025 8:48 am
- Location: Texas
Jeff, I left 2 of my poles with gourds and took one pole with the gourds to our new place. So, the new owners do offer housing and they still have martins nesting there. I've gone to their place several times to teach them how to care for them, but they're not interested in sparrow or starling control.
-
Bird Brain
- Posts: 327
- 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
I didn't like the song bird magnet. Bad weather will ruin it pretty fast. I like the CD. I buy the boom box at Best Buy. It fits into a 5 gallon bucket pointed up and I would just play the CD on a loop.
-
Thomas Maddox
- Posts: 580
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:23 pm
- Location: Sulphur, Louisiana
I'm on year 3 with my Song Bird Magnet. Ive hung it just under the eve of my home to keep most of the rain off of it and it's still working fine. It doesn't need to be placed on the PM house itself to be effective. It's plenty loud to call them in check out your set up.