Question on returning pair.
If I open my house before my last years mating pair return what will happen if earlier arriving martins take to the house? Will last years pair take another compartment? I have noticed more subbies in the area, and am anxious to get started. All I have to do is set out the house all compartments (6) are ready.
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yvesquad
Hy,
Open your house but watch for the starling or sparrows.....
You seen subbies ??it's pretty early for them in Canada but that can happens !! Good for me and you if they are starting to come in !!
No prob if they get a compartment before your last year pair, they will manage to get a place for sure.
Have a nice day
Yves
Open your house but watch for the starling or sparrows.....
You seen subbies ??it's pretty early for them in Canada but that can happens !! Good for me and you if they are starting to come in !!
No prob if they get a compartment before your last year pair, they will manage to get a place for sure.
Have a nice day
Yves
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Mary Dawnsong
- Posts: 1685
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:17 pm
- Location: Michigan, Livingston County
Hi Joe,
Open that housing NOW!
Get all the birds you can.
If any of last season's birds return, they will simply claim another cavity. Do not worry about that at all.
Do NOT assume last season's pair will return. The odds are against that. Martins do not mate for life and only about 50% of breeders survive and return each season.
How many of your breeding birds from last season will return?
Banding studies tell us that only 50% of our breeding birds survive and return the next season. If they return with a mate, it is likely NOT their mate from last season. From "Banding Purple Martins" - http://www.purplemartin.org/update/BandingPM11(3).pdf
Mary
Open that housing NOW!
Get all the birds you can.
If any of last season's birds return, they will simply claim another cavity. Do not worry about that at all.
Do NOT assume last season's pair will return. The odds are against that. Martins do not mate for life and only about 50% of breeders survive and return each season.
How many of your breeding birds from last season will return?
Banding studies tell us that only 50% of our breeding birds survive and return the next season. If they return with a mate, it is likely NOT their mate from last season. From "Banding Purple Martins" - http://www.purplemartin.org/update/BandingPM11(3).pdf
Good luck building your colony,Adult and subadult breeders have strong site-fidelity and about half of them will return to their previous colony site the following season. The other half presumably died or breed elsewhere.
Mate fidelity is low in the Purple Martin. The vast majority of martins have a different mate each breeding season, even if the old mate is present again the following season.
Mary
Click here to see my colony
"In Michigan every martin matters"
"In Michigan every martin matters"