Good morning:
I have noticed many times martins flying at what is possibly 200 - 300 feet from the ground surface.
Are the martins foraging at these altitudes or are they merely passing the time?
If they are foraging, which insects actually fly that far away from the ground surface?
Thank you,
Les Elliott
Palm Bay, Florida
Do Martins Forage at High Altitudes?
-
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
Yes Ma’m they are! Martins forage the highest of any bird in North America…. They say sometimes as high as 5000 ft… Normally up to 400 ft if memory serves me.. At least that’s what I’ve read..
What’s up there I have no idea, but it must taste good! lol Crazy that there are insects that high in the sky!
Phil
What’s up there I have no idea, but it must taste good! lol Crazy that there are insects that high in the sky!
Phil
PMCA member
Fernandina Beach, FL
Fernandina Beach, FL
-
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
Ok, got me to check my memory so I looked it up… Yep, it sux..
Generally considered North America’s highest foraging “songbird” And sometimes up to 6000 ft… Normally 150-600 ft..
Generally considered North America’s highest foraging “songbird” And sometimes up to 6000 ft… Normally 150-600 ft..
PMCA member
Fernandina Beach, FL
Fernandina Beach, FL
-
Dan G
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:52 pm
- Location: PA/Bellefonte
- Martin Colony History: Several colonies with in 6 mile radius.
Have had visitor every year 2014-24.
Two large trees removed in fall 2024 and moved T-14 to a more open location.
2025- 1 SY pair. Fledged 2.
http://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/20 ... u-cant-see
Phil, you got me testing my memory and had to look this up. This was posted by Craig Dyer about 10 years ago. Maybe this is where they martins disappear to ???
Phil, you got me testing my memory and had to look this up. This was posted by Craig Dyer about 10 years ago. Maybe this is where they martins disappear to ???
Bellefonte PA
2014, 1st year-a few lookers, no nests
2015-23. Visitors each year. But no pairs.
2024- most active year. 2-4 SY male’s hang out most days.
2025, 1 SY pair. 2 eggs, 2 fledged!! Other martins visited daily.
Still eliminating starlings and sparrows.
2014, 1st year-a few lookers, no nests
2015-23. Visitors each year. But no pairs.
2024- most active year. 2-4 SY male’s hang out most days.
2025, 1 SY pair. 2 eggs, 2 fledged!! Other martins visited daily.
Still eliminating starlings and sparrows.
-
dsonyay
- Posts: 1677
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Broussard
- Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.
2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)
2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.
2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged
2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(
2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go.
2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.
I remember reading years ago that many species of insects fly at these high altitudes… I don’t remember the reason or maybe there was only a theoretical explanation. I often wonder if these bugs fly high for some sort of communication reason. Who knows ? But the martins definitely have it figured out. 
-
seth❤️birds
- Posts: 39
- Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2024 5:54 pm
- Location: Clark,MO
- Martin Colony History: The first year I started keeping track was 2023
2023 - 1 T-14-
38 eggs
28 nestlings
26 fledged
2024
67 eggs
56 nestlings
54 fledge
2025
Added another T-14 & 4 gourds
157 eggs
140 young
126 fledgling
If that’s true- WOW
PMCA Member
Seth
Seth
-
scottfreidhof
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:13 am
- Location: Kentucky/Morehead
Thank you Dan for re-posting that story about the billion bug highway. That helps to explain how the largest known nesting colony of 1,000 plus purple martin pairs there in Alabama can find enough insects to feed their young.