Can owl guards be used on other types of bird nesting boxes such as wood duck? Anyone heard or experienced with that? Thanks!Using owl guards for other nesting structures
-
Guest
Can owl guards be used on other types of bird nesting boxes such as wood duck? Anyone heard or experienced with that? Thanks!-
John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Hey Wetlands
I don't see why not, but I'm going to "guess" that owl predation on other bird nest boxes isn't nearly as much of a problem. Owls find purple martins because they are noisey at night, the adult males even chirping inside. An owl may sit some distance away and hear this, as well as nestlings rustling about. Certainly in large martin colonies, this is potentially going to get the attention of an owl, who would then move from cavity to cavity and return for many nights.
The golf course at Forest Park, St. Louis, where I manage a few martin houses, has put up a lot of wood duck houses, and I've been watching the babies all summer. Don't they hop out as soon as they hatch? These houses are set on poles in water, so I guess the eggs are better protected from ground predators that way.
John Miller,
St. Louis, Mo
I don't see why not, but I'm going to "guess" that owl predation on other bird nest boxes isn't nearly as much of a problem. Owls find purple martins because they are noisey at night, the adult males even chirping inside. An owl may sit some distance away and hear this, as well as nestlings rustling about. Certainly in large martin colonies, this is potentially going to get the attention of an owl, who would then move from cavity to cavity and return for many nights.
The golf course at Forest Park, St. Louis, where I manage a few martin houses, has put up a lot of wood duck houses, and I've been watching the babies all summer. Don't they hop out as soon as they hatch? These houses are set on poles in water, so I guess the eggs are better protected from ground predators that way.
John Miller,
St. Louis, Mo
-
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
Beside my house, wood ducks have nests in hollow tres, probably the same holes that squirrels use around here when the ducks are not using them, these around here are about 20ft high, and they stay in the nest until they all hatch, then the mother flies to the ground and calls them, and they all jump out, one at a time, tumble when they hit the ground She then leads them to a creek about 3/8 of a mile away. They walk thru my yard, down the sidewalk, and the mother leads them to the creek. Occasionally a hawk sees them and catches a few babies. When a hawk comes, she tries to lead the survivors into tall grass. The baby ducks are very obedient, they follow her call.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
-
Al Denton
- Posts: 1468
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:31 pm
- Location: Carolina Shores NC
- Martin Colony History: New site and housing for 2018...Trendsetter 12. 1 pair of subs. Fledged 5...2019...11 pairs
PW, I once observed a crow stealing a Robin's egg from an unprotected nest in a Jasmine vine over my front porch. Using heavy gauge wire I made a cage of sorts around the nest and attached it to the vine. The Robins didn't mind it at all, and it kept the crows out. I think it's a good idea using guards for other birds...Woodducks too. Al
2018-new site...1 pair
2019-11 pairs
2020-15 pairs
2019-11 pairs
2020-15 pairs
-
Guest
Speaking of owls, I just happen to be lucky enough to witness a large Barred Owl swoop out of the woods and flank the side of my house to snatch a tree frog. These frogs are attracted to the night lights. The Barred Owl's flight was absolutely silent. I just happen to be looking up when it happened. It perched in a nearby tree and I was going to go for my camera, but it took flight before I could even go in the house. It was around 2:40 AM Tuesday.