Kingfisher verus Martins
-
Guest
In the mornings a kingfisher comes and lands on the Martins homes and watches the pond for breakfast. This drives the martins crazy, and the fisher totaly ignores them . When he dives off the house to the pond they all follow him like they have scared him off. Yesterday when this happened I was shocked to find out my PM count went from 5 to 9.
-
John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Hello
I had a kingfisher concern last season. He/she sat on the house (new site) as soon as it went up, but when martins colonized the house (7 pairs) the kingfisher quit hanging out. He resumed using the house as a perch in late summer when the martins left, until I took the house down for winter.
I don't think the Kingfisher will pose a threat, as would cavity nesting birds such as bluebirds or tree swallows. I did have serious problems at another site with a mocking bird, which is much more aggressive.
I did learn during winter repairs that kingfisher poop is nearly impervious. I had to soak it it vinegar to get it off the house roof. Maybe it's the fish bones!
John Milller
I had a kingfisher concern last season. He/she sat on the house (new site) as soon as it went up, but when martins colonized the house (7 pairs) the kingfisher quit hanging out. He resumed using the house as a perch in late summer when the martins left, until I took the house down for winter.
I don't think the Kingfisher will pose a threat, as would cavity nesting birds such as bluebirds or tree swallows. I did have serious problems at another site with a mocking bird, which is much more aggressive.
I did learn during winter repairs that kingfisher poop is nearly impervious. I had to soak it it vinegar to get it off the house roof. Maybe it's the fish bones!
John Milller