Hi... I just found a martin on the ground and have read the posts. It seems that the best approach is to place him back in the nest. However this one appears to be much smaller than the rest and I'm afraid that he may fall out again. Are there any alternatives ? What are his chances of survival if we try to care for him?
Any info will be appreciated
Another Grounded baby
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Hello Redpepa.
Did you read this article from the PMCA Home page Download Center?
http://www.purplemartin.org/main/rehab.html
It is illegal for you to keep this nestling. You could provide supplemental food to him and return him to the nest after each feeding. Can you describe his stage of feathering and that of the other nestlings? He could be the result from a dumped egg and that is why is so far behind the others. There are many options.
Does he appear to be starving (is his breastbone protruding with little meat on it)? Do you have only one nest? Are you sure he wasn't the lone nestling in another nest?
edit: I don't think his chances of survival are good without parent Purple Martins. If you choose to feed him and then return him to the nest each time - he would still be accepted as part of the brood and the parents will care for him and fledge him. Then, he would have a fighting chance. The other option would be rehab.
Did you read this article from the PMCA Home page Download Center?
http://www.purplemartin.org/main/rehab.html
It is illegal for you to keep this nestling. You could provide supplemental food to him and return him to the nest after each feeding. Can you describe his stage of feathering and that of the other nestlings? He could be the result from a dumped egg and that is why is so far behind the others. There are many options.
Does he appear to be starving (is his breastbone protruding with little meat on it)? Do you have only one nest? Are you sure he wasn't the lone nestling in another nest?
edit: I don't think his chances of survival are good without parent Purple Martins. If you choose to feed him and then return him to the nest each time - he would still be accepted as part of the brood and the parents will care for him and fledge him. Then, he would have a fighting chance. The other option would be rehab.
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Guest
Laverne,
There is only one nest.... It seems to be in good health, flapping wings, chirping, no visible signs of bugs, and just took a little water. It looks like there are three other babies in the nest, but I cannot tell until I can get a ladder out!
I read the info on the web site.. It looks like the best thing at this point is to put him back in the nest.
Any other suggestions? We have never done this before!
There is only one nest.... It seems to be in good health, flapping wings, chirping, no visible signs of bugs, and just took a little water. It looks like there are three other babies in the nest, but I cannot tell until I can get a ladder out!
I read the info on the web site.. It looks like the best thing at this point is to put him back in the nest.
Any other suggestions? We have never done this before!
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Please don't give PM nestlings any water. They get enough liquid from the bugs they eat. Water could cause him to strangle and die.
This is very important. When you get the ladder out - check the house for mites. Put your fingers inside the entrance hole and feel around on the inside of the walls and the nest. When you pull your hand back out; do you have mites on your fingers? If you do, this is the reason the baby jumped. Mites will cause you to lose the entire nest. Please treat it accordingly. If you need detailed instructions for this; let me know.
If you don't find any mites - then, put the nestling back. Maybe he just got knocked off the porch in the hustle/bustle of feeding. Maybe he was removed from the nest by a bachelor SY Male. A single nest in a brand new site is often the target of aggression by House Sparrows or Starlings.
My housing used to be fixed and I have climbed a ladder many times to put a nestling back in his nest. Many times, before I could put the ladder away, he would be back on the ground again. I know now that mites were causing this problem. They are deadly to PM nestlings because they make the nest unbearable and a PM nestling will not survive out of his nest on the ground or in a bush.
Let me know what you discover...
This is very important. When you get the ladder out - check the house for mites. Put your fingers inside the entrance hole and feel around on the inside of the walls and the nest. When you pull your hand back out; do you have mites on your fingers? If you do, this is the reason the baby jumped. Mites will cause you to lose the entire nest. Please treat it accordingly. If you need detailed instructions for this; let me know.
If you don't find any mites - then, put the nestling back. Maybe he just got knocked off the porch in the hustle/bustle of feeding. Maybe he was removed from the nest by a bachelor SY Male. A single nest in a brand new site is often the target of aggression by House Sparrows or Starlings.
My housing used to be fixed and I have climbed a ladder many times to put a nestling back in his nest. Many times, before I could put the ladder away, he would be back on the ground again. I know now that mites were causing this problem. They are deadly to PM nestlings because they make the nest unbearable and a PM nestling will not survive out of his nest on the ground or in a bush.
Let me know what you discover...
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Guest
Right. No water..
After putting the baby in a box with some white shredded paper, it became apparant that there are tiny, black bugs crawling around. They are as small, if not smaller as a flake of pepper. I saw that some folks have used Sevin to treat the problem. Would Ortho "Home Defense" work as well? The instructions say that people and pets may enter after the spray has dried.. Do you know if anyone has used this? If not, what's the best way to apply Sevin?
Thanks......
After putting the baby in a box with some white shredded paper, it became apparant that there are tiny, black bugs crawling around. They are as small, if not smaller as a flake of pepper. I saw that some folks have used Sevin to treat the problem. Would Ortho "Home Defense" work as well? The instructions say that people and pets may enter after the spray has dried.. Do you know if anyone has used this? If not, what's the best way to apply Sevin?
Thanks......
Redpea, I hope Laverne or someone else jumps in here to help you. I don't think I would use the Ortho. I think most of people that use Sevin put a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of it (5%) and spread it around the entire outer edge of the nest, and underneath it. I'm sure that's why the little fella jumped out. I think it takes about 12 hours or so for the Sevin to start working. Hopefully someone else will jump in here, in case I've got it wrong. Good luck to you and the little fella!....Pat
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Sorry, I was away for lunch...
Here's the scoop: We're not supposed to use any pesticide in PM nests. However, it is well known that no pesticide means there will be mites and mites are deadly. Nest changes at 10 days old and again at 20 days old will normally keep the mites under control well enough to allow the young to fledge properly. But, nest changes can be difficult (if not impossible) and time consuming and most landlords have trouble sticking to this committment. So, on the word and experience of many PM landlords from many seasons of nesting PM colonies, it has been determined that 1/4 teaspoon of 5% Sevin dust sprinkled on the front of the nest and then gently tapped down into the nesting material -or - sprinkled under the front of the nest will control mites and allow the nestlings to fledge into normal healthy Purple Martins. This is not scientifically documented and is not endorsed by the PMCA. But, all those landlords must know what they are talking about. Sevin is used by the people raising chickens for our consumption - so, it must be safe (right?). Just be very careful not to get it on the nestlings, or in the air that they are breathing. I would remove them from the nest cavity to treat it and then replace them after the dust has settled.
I don't like pesticides around me or my husband or my dog or my cats or my Purple Martins. I don't own any Sevin Dust; but, this season I used this stuff I found called Avian Insect Liquidator (pyrethrin). I know - still a pesticide! But, once again, the people raising birds such as parrots, parakeets, canaries, love birds, finches, doves, etc... are using this stuff. It proclaims it is safe to spray directly onto nestlings. Well, I ain't gonna do that - but, I did use it to control mites this season and it worked well.
I would not use any other type of insectides in the nests of my Purple Martin babies. So, no - don't use the Ortho stuff...
Here's the scoop: We're not supposed to use any pesticide in PM nests. However, it is well known that no pesticide means there will be mites and mites are deadly. Nest changes at 10 days old and again at 20 days old will normally keep the mites under control well enough to allow the young to fledge properly. But, nest changes can be difficult (if not impossible) and time consuming and most landlords have trouble sticking to this committment. So, on the word and experience of many PM landlords from many seasons of nesting PM colonies, it has been determined that 1/4 teaspoon of 5% Sevin dust sprinkled on the front of the nest and then gently tapped down into the nesting material -or - sprinkled under the front of the nest will control mites and allow the nestlings to fledge into normal healthy Purple Martins. This is not scientifically documented and is not endorsed by the PMCA. But, all those landlords must know what they are talking about. Sevin is used by the people raising chickens for our consumption - so, it must be safe (right?). Just be very careful not to get it on the nestlings, or in the air that they are breathing. I would remove them from the nest cavity to treat it and then replace them after the dust has settled.
I don't like pesticides around me or my husband or my dog or my cats or my Purple Martins. I don't own any Sevin Dust; but, this season I used this stuff I found called Avian Insect Liquidator (pyrethrin). I know - still a pesticide! But, once again, the people raising birds such as parrots, parakeets, canaries, love birds, finches, doves, etc... are using this stuff. It proclaims it is safe to spray directly onto nestlings. Well, I ain't gonna do that - but, I did use it to control mites this season and it worked well.
I would not use any other type of insectides in the nests of my Purple Martin babies. So, no - don't use the Ortho stuff...
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Guest
Thanks for all your help............ I will try the Sevin later this afternoon. I was able to feed the little fellow some microwaved eggs and he took quite a bit. Hopefully, all will be well!