Shreveport Purple Martin Roost Article
The other day a reporter from the ?Shreveport Times? read my account on the Forum of the purple martin roost at the Schumpert medical facility. I spoke with her about the roost. The ?Times? published an article about the roost in the August 10, 2005 edition. Here is a link to the article and it includes a good picture of the ?feathered tornado? of martins pouring in. The article presents both sides of the issue. One point of clarification: I indicated that martin mortality is high. The 75 % mortality was referring to the hatchling/fledgling rate and not all martins in general. The medical facility is still trying to figure out a way to ?discourage? the martins from roosting. But the martins are not being molested and their droppings are being washed away every morning. It is a difficult situation for people at the hospital and the martins.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbc ... 6940012884
Steve
Shreveport Purple Martin Roost Article
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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.
Thanks, Steve.
That was a very good article and a "great" photo. I hope the hospital discovers a way to allow the roost to remain. Wouldn't it be great if we could figure out how to redirect a premigratory roost and "put" them all in a safe place? Maybe one of these days we will understand enough to accomplish this.
I'd "love" to have a roost at my house!!!
That was a very good article and a "great" photo. I hope the hospital discovers a way to allow the roost to remain. Wouldn't it be great if we could figure out how to redirect a premigratory roost and "put" them all in a safe place? Maybe one of these days we will understand enough to accomplish this.
I'd "love" to have a roost at my house!!!
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Steve, I have an idea for a man-made roost. Build a site like a cable suspension bridge instead of a bridge, it would be filled with cables for the birds to sit on, and keep lights on it.The only problem is the money, trees are cheaper to grow than cable suspension roosts.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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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.
I think you may be on to something, Emil.
The government might be willing to provide funding for a project of this nature... Hmmmm...
The government might be willing to provide funding for a project of this nature... Hmmmm...
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
Laverne/Emil,
These huge pre-migratory purple martin roosts in urban areas, particularly around hospitals, do create considerable controversy! It is such a difficult situation for both the hospital staff/patients and the martins.
What makes a specific urban area so attractive to martins as a pre-migratory roost? We know that lights and an open environment with available perching space are important considerations. Also certain trees may be more attractive than others. I know martins like the Bradford pears and various oaks. And the way the trees are growing and their proximity to buildings may be important. It would be interesting to analyze these various urban roosts relative to the type, number, size, and foliage density of the roost trees, the closeness to buildings, the openness of the area, the distance to large bodies of water, the amount and type of night lighting, the amount of human activity both pedestrian and motorized, and the size of the city. Perhaps we could see common factors that make an urban area the ideal roost site. If lighting proved to be a critical factor, then certain urban roosts that are creating major problems for both people and the martins could possibly be safely moved by turning off the lights.
Emil, I believe your idea to create man-made roosts has merit. A combination of lights, perching structures, and an open environment may be the stimulus to attract martins from a site where they may be causing ?people? problems or endangering themselves. There is still much to learn about the pre-migratory roosting behavior of martins.
And what about South America? The martins are roosting in huge flocks on their wintering grounds down in Brazilian cities. So they may be facing the same problems in these urban settings as they face in the United States.
Steve
These huge pre-migratory purple martin roosts in urban areas, particularly around hospitals, do create considerable controversy! It is such a difficult situation for both the hospital staff/patients and the martins.
What makes a specific urban area so attractive to martins as a pre-migratory roost? We know that lights and an open environment with available perching space are important considerations. Also certain trees may be more attractive than others. I know martins like the Bradford pears and various oaks. And the way the trees are growing and their proximity to buildings may be important. It would be interesting to analyze these various urban roosts relative to the type, number, size, and foliage density of the roost trees, the closeness to buildings, the openness of the area, the distance to large bodies of water, the amount and type of night lighting, the amount of human activity both pedestrian and motorized, and the size of the city. Perhaps we could see common factors that make an urban area the ideal roost site. If lighting proved to be a critical factor, then certain urban roosts that are creating major problems for both people and the martins could possibly be safely moved by turning off the lights.
Emil, I believe your idea to create man-made roosts has merit. A combination of lights, perching structures, and an open environment may be the stimulus to attract martins from a site where they may be causing ?people? problems or endangering themselves. There is still much to learn about the pre-migratory roosting behavior of martins.
And what about South America? The martins are roosting in huge flocks on their wintering grounds down in Brazilian cities. So they may be facing the same problems in these urban settings as they face in the United States.
Steve