Off-season hawk guards for those interested
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Hi all..it’s just about time again! I wanted to show these hawk guards I built this off-season. I built it out of aluminum, square tubing, angle bracket, and flat bar.. It’s amazingly light ( about 6 pounds) , but strong, and quite sturdy, as I only wanted to brace it from the bottom, not the top (for another reason).. It will block the hawks favorite and most successful angle of attack… sneak attacks from the side. In case of frontal attacks, which usually haven’t been successful, as the martins see them coming, The design I came up with will allow the martins to escape to the sides through the gaps in the guard, but a hawk can’t fit through. I also added the “D” shaped guards on the other side as more deterrent, and I can always add those in the front , if needed. The gourd guards , I made out of 3/8 inch OD , auto ac tubing, to the same specs as pmca guards. I also made a couple perch poles out of old tri tel,poles for more perching space. I have some pics below. If anybody would like to know how to build it, just let me know.lGood luck to all! Sorry about the duplicates at the beginning.. the last 3 photos show the other pics..
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PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
Well done Rob! Off season is a time of martin projects!
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Dave Reynolds
- Posts: 2441
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
- Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
- Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged
Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged
…. Well done .. That should do the trick,, Good looking work ….
Dave
Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Little Hocking, Ohio
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Thanks… I hope it will work!
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
Rob,
Your owl guards are innovative, can you share how you made the mold to bend the tubing for it?
Your owl guards are innovative, can you share how you made the mold to bend the tubing for it?
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Sure Tom.. I made a jig using a pmca gourd guard, by tracing the outer curve onto a piece of scrap plywood, then cutting it out to form a jig. I bought some 3/8 inch OD aluminum tubing from Amazon (very inexpensive $15 for 10 feet).. much cheaper than buying these guards online… I just bend the tubing around the jig, then cut to length with an angled grinder or jig saw with metal blade… I flattened the ends on one side, in a bench vise, drill 2 holes in it, so they bolt flush to the tunnel face plate. The pics below will help to understand..
Refer to photo in first post to see how guard is bolted to tunnel faceplate… I used #8 to #10 machine bolts and nuts..
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
-
C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
Perfect, thanks Rob! I remember seeing the pictures you shared during the off season. I think others will be very interested.
Its a wonderful job Rob. Sure your season is going to be great!
Its a wonderful job Rob. Sure your season is going to be great!
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
No problem!!
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
Excellent Martintown. I built my own hawk deterent cages too. I have learned over time that the hawks have a difficult time side swiping on porches if there is a cage or set up like your posted pics. Well done.
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Thanks Dave. It’s not a military grade Martin bomb shelter like your cages, but i did use your idea to make a side guard to take out the hawks favorite angle and tactic. Side angle swipe attack. From my observations the frontal attacks aren’t very successful as the martins see them coming. Thus the gaps in the guard so the martins can escape to the side but hawk cant fit through. (smallest hawks like sharp shinned have wingspan of 17 to 22 inches). Hopefully it works.
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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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
Owl cages, hawk gaurds, maybe they work, but they aren't very asthetically pleasing.
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Phil01
- Posts: 346
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:42 pm
- Location: Fernandina Beach FL
- Martin Colony History: 52 Cavities offered.
24 unit gourd rack with Troyer Horizontal and Vertical Gourds. K-18 gourd rack all Troyer Horizontal Gourds. Sunset Inn aluminum house with 4 Troyer Horizontal Gourds.
2020- 1 pair, 4 eggs, fledged 3
2021- 3 pair, 15 eggs, fledged 8
2022- 5 pair, 26 eggs, fledged 21
2023- 10 pair, 53 eggs, fledged 27
2024- 26 pair, 125 eggs, fledged 83
2025- 32 pair, 182 eggs, fledged 134
2026- Added a Troyer K-18 all Troyer Horizontal.
PMCA Member
Looks great Rob! Very well thought out design! I’m sure your Martins will be much safer this season!
Hope you have a great season!
Phil
Hope you have a great season!
Phil
PMCA member
Fernandina Beach, FL
Fernandina Beach, FL
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Thanks Phil. Yes, birdbrain, probably not the prettiest thing to look at, but if it protects my martins from suffering a grizzly death being eaten alive by a hawk, then it looks BEAUTIFUL to me!!
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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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
Hey MartinTown. I'm curious. Does you housing have a nearby blind spot that hawks are using to their advantage? And that's why you need the hawk gaurd?
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Yes birdbrain.. they’re most frequent and successful tactic is to make a side sneak attack, from the west… there is some cover over that way , that they like to fly in from.. the gourds, hanging on the other side, kind of block that side, but I did put that “D” shaped guard to help prevent attacks from that direction, which aren’t very common , if at all.
Rob
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La