It seems that the males are the more aggressive agitator of the two to the martins,is this true or do both male and female raise havock with PM's?
dick
Sparrow question
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Mary Dawnsong
- Posts: 1685
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:17 pm
- Location: Michigan, Livingston County
My experience with the non-native House Sparrow (HOSP) is that the male is much more aggressive. However, the female will join the male in attacks on martins. The pair together is especially deadly.
You'll read of infrequent cases of martins dying because a wing was caught in a crescent entry. I have never seen such a death. However, I once witnessed a pair of HOSP try to take a crescent SuperGourd away from a male martin. The martin was hanging by his wing, which was caught in the crescent corner. The HOSP pair was attacking him violently as a team. I believe they would have killed him had I not interfered.
Most HOSP are extremely wary and learn very quickly to avoid being gun targets. If you have a pair of HOSP, you may have only one good shot. The target of that first shot should be the male. This is counterintuitive for most folks - after all it is the female who produces more HOSP, right? However, it is the male who quickly bonds to a site and he seems to have unlimited access to females. Kill the female and the male will return in a few hours with a new mate. Kill the male and the female almost always abandons the site (assuming she hasn't laid eggs, yet).
There are exceptions to every generalization, of course.
Back when I was shooting HOSP, I had a site-bonded female who simply would not leave. I shot three of her male mates over three consecutive days before I finally managed to shoot her.
By the way, I don't shoot anymore. Nestbox trapping is incredibly easier and amazingly effective at my site. Here is a description of how I trap. From April 5 - May 5 this season I have trapped 44 male and 24 female HOSP in an 8-hole Trio house filled with Spare-O-Doors. PIECE OF CAKE!! Click on:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... ght=#57681
Good luck eliminating HOSP,
Mary
You'll read of infrequent cases of martins dying because a wing was caught in a crescent entry. I have never seen such a death. However, I once witnessed a pair of HOSP try to take a crescent SuperGourd away from a male martin. The martin was hanging by his wing, which was caught in the crescent corner. The HOSP pair was attacking him violently as a team. I believe they would have killed him had I not interfered.
Most HOSP are extremely wary and learn very quickly to avoid being gun targets. If you have a pair of HOSP, you may have only one good shot. The target of that first shot should be the male. This is counterintuitive for most folks - after all it is the female who produces more HOSP, right? However, it is the male who quickly bonds to a site and he seems to have unlimited access to females. Kill the female and the male will return in a few hours with a new mate. Kill the male and the female almost always abandons the site (assuming she hasn't laid eggs, yet).
There are exceptions to every generalization, of course.
Back when I was shooting HOSP, I had a site-bonded female who simply would not leave. I shot three of her male mates over three consecutive days before I finally managed to shoot her.
By the way, I don't shoot anymore. Nestbox trapping is incredibly easier and amazingly effective at my site. Here is a description of how I trap. From April 5 - May 5 this season I have trapped 44 male and 24 female HOSP in an 8-hole Trio house filled with Spare-O-Doors. PIECE OF CAKE!! Click on:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... ght=#57681
Good luck eliminating HOSP,
Mary
Click here to see my colony
"In Michigan every martin matters"
"In Michigan every martin matters"
Mary Dawnsong,
You are a wealth of knowledge! I really like your idea of using an old Trio for a sparrow trap. I have trapped 5 sparrows to date this year but there is one sparrow that is driving me crazy. He perches himself on top of my T-14 and sings (if you can call it that) for hours trying to attract a mate. He goes from one occupied cavity to another. The Martins chase him away when they are home but because we are still in nest building, they are often gone. I am so afraid he is going to claim a cavity once my martins are egg laying. I can't shoot in my neighborhood especially since I have a policeman living next door and my colony is practically on his property. I also have a heck of a time using my repeating trap. I can't think of any other way to stop him except by using your suggestion. How does one go about finding a used house??
You are a wealth of knowledge! I really like your idea of using an old Trio for a sparrow trap. I have trapped 5 sparrows to date this year but there is one sparrow that is driving me crazy. He perches himself on top of my T-14 and sings (if you can call it that) for hours trying to attract a mate. He goes from one occupied cavity to another. The Martins chase him away when they are home but because we are still in nest building, they are often gone. I am so afraid he is going to claim a cavity once my martins are egg laying. I can't shoot in my neighborhood especially since I have a policeman living next door and my colony is practically on his property. I also have a heck of a time using my repeating trap. I can't think of any other way to stop him except by using your suggestion. How does one go about finding a used house??
Fledge on!
Nanette
Nanette
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Mary Dawnsong
- Posts: 1685
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:17 pm
- Location: Michigan, Livingston County
Hi Nannette,
Thanks!
I'm not a good shopper or bargain hunter....
I bought my Trio Grandma and the trap doors from the PMCA Shop. It was quite an investment. Spare-O-Doors are more expensive than you'd expect. However, it was the best martin investment I've ever made because it saves me so much time and aggravation. And it surely helps the martins.
I'm glad I bought a Trio house with a lanyard. It's a rope and pulley type of mechanism and makes it so easy to raise and lower. I am catching so many HOSP that a telescoping pole would be much more tedious to use.
However, you could absolutely use any old, used Trio/NatureHouse brand. You might be able to find them at garage sale/flea markets/eBay. However, the easiest thing might be to find a HOSP-infested Trio standing in a yard, approach the owner, and offer to remove the eyesore for free!
Please note that the Spare-O-Door is designed to fit only Trio/NatureHouse brand houses. I believe it fits all models of Trio, but not sure. My first HOSPice was the old Coates small-compartment house I used to start my colony. I managed to force Spare-O-Doors in that house with tin snips and duct tape, but it was not convenient to use!
Also note that you do not have to replace all the doors in the house with Spare-O-Doors. You could plug some of the cavities instead. However, multiple Spare-O-Doors catch more birds. Try to have some side-by-side and/or front-and-back to catch pairs.
Good luck, Mary
Thanks!
I'm not a good shopper or bargain hunter....
I bought my Trio Grandma and the trap doors from the PMCA Shop. It was quite an investment. Spare-O-Doors are more expensive than you'd expect. However, it was the best martin investment I've ever made because it saves me so much time and aggravation. And it surely helps the martins.
I'm glad I bought a Trio house with a lanyard. It's a rope and pulley type of mechanism and makes it so easy to raise and lower. I am catching so many HOSP that a telescoping pole would be much more tedious to use.
However, you could absolutely use any old, used Trio/NatureHouse brand. You might be able to find them at garage sale/flea markets/eBay. However, the easiest thing might be to find a HOSP-infested Trio standing in a yard, approach the owner, and offer to remove the eyesore for free!
Please note that the Spare-O-Door is designed to fit only Trio/NatureHouse brand houses. I believe it fits all models of Trio, but not sure. My first HOSPice was the old Coates small-compartment house I used to start my colony. I managed to force Spare-O-Doors in that house with tin snips and duct tape, but it was not convenient to use!
Also note that you do not have to replace all the doors in the house with Spare-O-Doors. You could plug some of the cavities instead. However, multiple Spare-O-Doors catch more birds. Try to have some side-by-side and/or front-and-back to catch pairs.
Good luck, Mary
Click here to see my colony
"In Michigan every martin matters"
"In Michigan every martin matters"