What is killing our Purple Martins - News Article
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John Miller
- Posts: 4863
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
We're making a mess of things - that's for sure. But I'm not so sure about this bug population thing. Our martins here in St. Louis city do fine, despite being in the middle of a metropolitan area. That said, I do see more interesting bugs and butterflies when I get out of town, but at the same time there are plenty of bugs to decimate whatever I plant in my little city yard. I plant roses to attract Japanese beetles for the martins - ha. had a little peach tree, but borer worms -- a type of moth larvae -- just killed it off. John M
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
I imagine food supply is highly variable, and location, nearest water sources, habitat, and climate all play a role. Our city colony here in our backyard is just under 50 pairs, and some years they have trouble finding enough food - but those are often drought years. Plenty of trees and plants producing bugs, that's for sure - but no large natural body of water close at hand, just canals and swimming pools.
We provide a lot of supplemental food for these birds if babies are skinny, but you really can't supply enough, or get all the martins to use it.
Our rural, weekend colony seems to do much better finding food even though it's as much as 10 degrees hotter inland. The site is surrounded by pastures, grass, trees, and we put in a pond, plus there's a bigger pond not too far away. We shade the gourds in late summer, and they do well. They are surrounded by natural habitat, not houses and concrete.
We provide a lot of supplemental food for these birds if babies are skinny, but you really can't supply enough, or get all the martins to use it.
Our rural, weekend colony seems to do much better finding food even though it's as much as 10 degrees hotter inland. The site is surrounded by pastures, grass, trees, and we put in a pond, plus there's a bigger pond not too far away. We shade the gourds in late summer, and they do well. They are surrounded by natural habitat, not houses and concrete.
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4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
Louise,
I instinctively knew as a kid that it was cooler when I visited my paternal grandparents in Corpus Christi, TX.
I also knew that it was hotter when we got back home in Mathis, TX (36 miles inland from Corpus for those not familiar with the area.)
I initially thought it was the breeze off of the Gulf, but you have affirmed that it was also hotter inland.
Mark.
I instinctively knew as a kid that it was cooler when I visited my paternal grandparents in Corpus Christi, TX.
I also knew that it was hotter when we got back home in Mathis, TX (36 miles inland from Corpus for those not familiar with the area.)
I initially thought it was the breeze off of the Gulf, but you have affirmed that it was also hotter inland.
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.