Hello all, while traveling last spring, May 2025, we stopped in downtown Vicksburg, MS and were amazed to witness a large colony of Purple Martins in the downtown area. We found that the housing is primarily in the median of Monroe Street but has been neglected for some time. The Martins are competing with sparrows and other birds in the housing and it looks like the units haven’t been cleaned out in years. There also seemed to be a number of Martins flying over the river front which is close by.
Does anyone from the group or PMCA know if anyone is looking after this colony? It’s a very lively and robust group and with a little help and care this colony could continue to thrive and grow. We’re from central Fl so a bit far for us to provide proper colony care.
Hopefully some of our members near Vicksburg will see this message and look into it.
Large Colony in downtown Vicksburg, MS
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FlGreenSwampMrtns
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:23 am
- Location: Polk City, North Polk County, FL
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scottfreidhof
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:13 am
- Location: Kentucky/Morehead
I was able to view the housing on Monroe Street with Google Earth's street view. That median is very well maintained and beautiful as far as city streets go. The Jackson Audubon Society probably has members in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Maybe a couple of them would be willing to manage the housing.
Along our water front neighborhood on Galveston Bay, Texas, all 13 homes have had 3 or more large PM houses or gourd racks for over 20 years. No one does nest checks, dusting or cleaning their houses and we continue to have hundreds of PMs every year. Most PM landlords are the same. Provide housing and nothing more. Still very successful colonies and we all enjoy the birds. PM ranching is not for everyone.