Song Magnet

[CBader]

We recently got a Song Magnet. I'm wondering how water proof it is? Shall I bring it in from the rain?

Cheryl

[flyin-lowe]

If you have a way to bring it it that definitely will not hurt. Better yet is there an overhang or somewhere near your colony you can put it to protect it from the weather? The dawn song does not have to be right on your housing. The goal is to get martins that might be high above or in the area to notice your housing. At my old house I kept a CD player under the eave of my pole barn which was a couple hundred feet from my housing. When I moved to my current location I just kept in on the front porch of the house, which is not too far from the housing but it was not right under the pole or anything. It will definitely last a lot longer if it's not exposed to the elements and it would be a pain to take it in and out all the time.

[ToyinPA]

We have the Bird-X song magnet. Had pouring rain a few times & it's fine. We did attach it to the face of our garage under the window frame.

Toy in PA

[LCM]

Hey Ms Cheryl, I could do that too to attract Martins. Is this set up costly? Thank you for sharing this information.
Sincerely,
Linda Moore from Many La.

[flyin-lowe]

Linda, according your signature you have martins nesting already, is that correct? The dawnsong is typically a tool used to attract martins to a new location. If you have martins they will do a better job at attracting more martins that the song will. I have seen first hand some martins that go crazy when the dawnsong is playing while they are there. It doesn't happen a lot but at my old place, as I was trying to establish a colony I had some SY's visiting and one of them was "flogging" and flapping it wings on the CD player, as long as it was playing the martin would just attack it. Kind of weird actually.

[LCM]

No I’m sorry to say that I don’t have Martins. The bluebirds fought them and ran them off. I did put up a bluebird box far enough away from the Martin box that the bluebirds took up residence in, thankfully, however, the Martins were gone by this time and no sign sound or anything of any other martins and that’s been going on 2 weeks now.
I have had Martin the last 20 years but not that many.
I said that because I do believe those were the scouts and I believe others will come through.
I posted previously that it was my fault that my Martin population dwindled because I didn’t realize what I was creating in placing my bluebird boxes too close to my Martin boxes. Anyway a lesson bought and paid for lol.
Thank you for answering my question. I am so thankful for the success you seem to have had all the years you have been a landlord. God Bless you!!

[CBader]

Hey Ms Cheryl, I could do that too to attract Martins. Is this set up costly? Thank you for sharing this information.
Sincerely,
Linda Moore from Many La.

Hi,

You can buy the Song Magnet here on the purple Martin Conservation website (go to shopping) for about $70. It comes with a 30 foot cord to plug in. I also bought a power pack (more expensive) to run the song magnet.

Cheryl

[flyin-lowe]

LCM
Trying not to hi-jack this thread but I would take a look at other predators around your colony. BB will frustrate young martins investigating a new location but it is unlikely they would cause an established colony to abandon your housing. I have started several colonies in my area and blue birds and tree swallows are always a pain, but the first year martins return to start a second season they have never bothered them.

[LCM]

Thank you for your insight to other potential threats.
I will be paying attention more closely.
Sincerely,
Linda Moore from Many La

[LCM]

Thank you also Ms Cheryl for information on Song magnet.
Sincerely,
Linda Moore from Many La