Problems Identifying Martin types

[jmrogers-TX]

I have had Marin houses, for 10 years, at a previous location, but never took time to identify them. last year we brought our 12 compartment, aluminum, flag pole raised sliding Martin house to our new location in May(2005) and did not expect any Martins to nest. I was wrong we had 3 couples use our house and one had 2 babies.

This year I started to learn about Martin activites through the Martin formant related links. I have the article,"Purple Martin Plumage Identification, but still am having trouble with identification!

There are currently 5 Martins at my Martin House. One has an all gey front and I don't know if it is an ASY female or an SY male. The others are blackish/purple and could be ASY males or ASY females.

Do the females enter the compartment and males stay outside or visa versa?

I definitely need help BIG TIME!

_________________
Jack M. Rogers

[~Patrick~]

Jack,

You might want to get yourself a pair of binoculars so you can get some up close views of your birds. The adult males are the "black" ones from a distance, all dark all over. Adult females have gray breasts with some purple on the crown of the head, back, and shoulders. Sub-adult males (SYs) resemble females but begin to show some mottling as their mature purple feathers begin to come in, but that is variable. Female SYs are very similar to ASY females but are generally a little lighter gray, particularly in the area underneath the tail coverts. As far as the behavior, both males and females go in and out of the nesting compartments. In this cooler spring weather, often more than 2 will go into a compartment...sort of a communal roosting situation to conserve warmth. Hope this helps some. Read up as much as you can and watch those martins as often as possible. They are great teachers themselves.

Patrick

[Donna - TX]

There is a great place right here to identify the martins.

http://www.purplemartin.org/MartinID/martinid.html

[jmrogers-TX]

Thanks for the prompt reply from Donna and Patrick.

I have binoculars, but need to get closer to see the actual colors. I have the article on plumage that you suggested. The grey one I have at my house looks like the picture on page #4 of the article, at the lower left. ASY female. I'll be watching daily to get better at identification.

Thanks,
Jack

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

The grey breasted martin is a ASY female..The SY (second year) birds have not arrived in this area, but are expected to arrive within 2 weeks..

[jmrogers-TX]

Thanks Emil,
I'm learning something every day!
Jack